PRIME
MINISTER HARPER ANNOUNCES CANADA’S NEW FOOD AND CONSUMER SAFETY ACTION
PLAN
Ottawa
– Prime
Minister Stephen Harper today announced the Food and Consumer Safety
Action Plan, a comprehensive set of proposed new measures that will make
Canadians safer by legislating tougher federal government regulation of
food, health, and consumer products.
Speaking
at the Salvation Army Christmas Toy Depot in Ottawa, Prime Minister Harper
noted that there has been a sharp rise in the number of product recalls
involving unsafe toys, food and drugs in recent years.
“Canadians rightly expect their federal government to
police the safety of the products they bring into their homes,” the
Prime Minister said. “Today,
I’m pleased to announce a plan that will significantly enhance our
ability to do just that.”
The proposed
legislation, to be introduced in the New Year, will transform the
government’s approach to regulating product safety. For the first time
in Canada, instead of merely reacting to problems, the regulations will be
designed to prevent them. New measures will include:
·
Mandatory
product recalls when companies fail to act on legitimate safety concerns.
·
Making
importers responsible for the safety of goods they bring into Canada.
·
Increasing
maximum fines under the Food and Drug Act from $5,000 up to current
international standards.
·
Better
safety information for consumers and guidance to industries on building
safety throughout their supply chains.
“The Food
and Product Safety Action Plan delivers on our Government’s commitment
to building a stronger, safer, better Canada,” said Prime Minister
Harper. “This plan will benefit all Canadians: it will improve our
safety and health, reward responsible industry players, and enhance
Canada’s reputation abroad as a country whose product safety standards
are second to none.”
The
Government will begin engaging consumer and industry stakeholders on how
best to proceed with the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan in the New
Year.
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