OTTAWA – On Tuesday, NDP MP Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan – Malahat – Langford) tabled a bill in the House of Commons that was brought forward by local students, Isha Courty-Stephens and Hana Reid, through the Create Your Canada competition.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2023
OTTAWA – On Tuesday, NDP MP Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan – Malahat – Langford) tabled a bill in the House of Commons that was brought forward by local students, Isha Courty-Stephens and Hana Reid, through the Create Your Canada competition.
The bill would amend the Food and Drugs Act to make it so that all tampon ingredients must be labelled on the packaging. Currently Canada doesn’t require all the ingredients in menstrual products to be labelled, even though many tampon brands contain toxic ‘forever chemicals’.
“It’s great to see young people getting involved in politics and the decisions being made in government. I’m glad I get to be able to help encourage young people’s involvement, and turn their work into action,” said MacGregor. “It’s also important for Canadians to get the best information possible about their health, and this bill would give people just that. I also want to thank my colleague, Leah Gazan, MP for Winnipeg Centre and NDP critic for Women and Gender Equality, for seconding the bill.”
With many menstrual products containing traces of bleach and pesticides, and undisclosed carcinogens, they can result in long lasting health issues, including certain forms of cancer.
“It’s important that people can make informed decisions about their health – and the government needs to make sure that people can do just that,” added MacGregor. “The Liberals have a responsibility to hold companies that provide health products accountable to Canadians, which is why New Democrats believe in labeling products with more transparency to give Canadians more options.”
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For immediate release
June 12th, 2024
NDP: A National Brain Injury Strategy will shine light on “invisible epidemic”
OTTAWA— On Wednesday, with a vote of 324 in favour and zero against, NDP MP Alistair MacGregor’s plan to create a national strategy for prevention, treatment, and awareness of brain injuries passed unanimously at second reading in Parliament.
“This is an important step forward for an initiative that started locally,” MP MacGregor said, “This work came about because of the passion and lived experience of several of my constituents, and I am so proud and grateful for their work. I especially want to thank Janelle Breese Biagioni from the CGB Centre for Traumatic Life Losses, Chris Rafuse from the Cowichan Brain Injury Society, and local advocate and brain injury survivor Kyle Mockford, among many others. Working together with community groups across Canada, Bill C-277 has become a national campaign for greater awareness, prevention, and treatment of brain injuries.”
Experts say that many who experience traumatic brain injuries go undiagnosed and untreated because of stigma and lack of awareness. Even if they receive treatment, the current state of brain injury services and supports across the country is characterized by fragmentation, isolation, and chronic underfunding. Often, support services for families and brain-injury survivors operate as non-profit organizations with little or no government funding. Some of these organizations are teetering on the brink of closure.
“Well over 1.5 million Canadians have suffered a traumatic brain injury, and the long-term effects can be devastating,” said MacGregor. “Among them are an estimated 1 in 8 Canadian women, who have experienced a traumatic brain injury because of gender-based violence. I’m happy to see a national brain injury strategy get support across party lines.”
Bill C-277 has been endorsed by medical experts, people with lived experience, Brain Injury organizations across the country, and local municipalities including Duncan, Langford, North Cowichan, Nanaimo, and the City of Victoria.
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