Foods are NOT Drugs started as a podcast in response to the Conservative Government of Canada proposing changes to the Food and Drug Act. This Bill (Bill C-51) proposed a number of alarming changes to the system which represented a move away from the “rule of law” and shifting power away from the courts to the government bureaucracy.

Bill C-51

Bill C51 (Click Here to read the entire bill)
NHPPA Draft Discussion paper on Bill C-51 (prepared by constitutional lawyer, Shawn Buckley)

Bill C51 (Click Here to read the NHPPA Discussion Paper by Shawn Buckley)

The bill had the following implications:

Bill C-51 had a sister Bill… Bill C-52 which was an amendment to the Consumer Protection Act. This bill had the same draconian measures as bill C-51.

Bill C-52:

Bill C52 (Click Here to read the entire Bill)

NHPPA Draft discussion paper on Bill C-52

Bill C52 (Click Here to read the NHPPA Discussion Paper by Shawn Buckley)

Summary of Bill C-52

• Abolishes the law of trespass allowing the State access onto private property without legal recourse
• Allows seizure of property without a court order, without reporting seizure to a court, for unlimited period of time
• Allows state control over the movement of private property without a court order and without a safety concern
• Search and seizure powers in Bill C-52 are probably in violation of section 8 of the charter of rights and freedoms to be free from unreasonable search and seizure

Fortunately, the Bills died when parliment was dissolved for the Federal Election.

Now, Bill C-52’s replacement is Bill C-6 (which passed third reading in the House of Commons on June 12th, 2009) has similar problems.

Bill C-6

Bill C6 (Click Here to read Bill C-6)

NHPPA Draft Discussion Paper on Bill C-6

Bill C6 (Click Here to read the NHPPA Draft Discussion Paper on Bill C-6)

Bill C-6 has many of the same provisions that made C-51 and C-52 dangerous.

• Bill C-6 can be easily amended to include Natural Health Products without parliamentary approval
• Bill C-6 abolishes the law of trespass
• Bill C-6 gives inspectors unprecedented power

• Please read the NHPPA discussion paper to learn more about the dangers of Bill C-6.

Shawn Buckley, president of the Natural Health Products Protection Association, talks about how Bill C-6 and similar legislation is restricting our freedoms:

The solution is to restore balance to health care in Canada. Allow Canadians to have freedom of choice in how they treat illness in their own bodies.




Support the Charter of Health Freedom

The Natural Health Product manufacturing industry in Canada is still a very competitive and innovative marketplace despite 20 000 products being removed due to the regulations introduced in 2004. The Natural Health Product Directorate has placed 70% of NHP’s in danger and Bill C51 will make the environment more hostile.

In order to ensure an innovative and competitive industry, we must NOT over-regulate and cause a monopolization of the industry by a few large firms. In Australia, the industry went from hundreds of manufacturers to only four in 10 years, after Bill C-51 style regulations were introduced. Our radio show Health Empowerment with Croft Woodruff has received a large amount of feedback from listeners about Bill C-51 and the message is clear. People do not want their foods, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fatty acids treated like drugs. These products are safe and effective.

Andrew McGivern

The recent article “Firms Back Campaign Against Health Bill” by Tom Blackwell, inaccurately states that the nationwide backlash against Bill C51 was NOT a grassroots movement but instead was merely a few firms who have a grudge against Health Canada promoting misinformation. The information on the NHPPA and the StopC51 website is accurate and the concerns are real. Obviously Natural Health Product Firms would back a campaign against an assault on their industry. But this article does not address the very real value that Canadians place on access to affordable, safe and effective natural health products. In order to ensure an innovative and competitive industry we must NOT over regulate and cause monopolization of the industry by a few large firms. In Australia the industry went from 100’s of manufacturers to only four in ten years after Bill C51 style regs were introduced in their country.

It only makes sense that the stakeholders (the people with the most to lose) will act first to get the word out about a threat to their industry. This is what happened with Bill C51. This Bill (as it was written originally) was a huge threat to the Natural Health Products Industry and even after the proposed amendments is still a dangerous bill for a number of reasons. Everyone that I personally talk to about Bill C51 is very alarmed by the potential affect it will have on access to natural health products. There was almost 40 000 people in the Stop C51 Facebook group, MP’s and the Minister of Healths Office was inundated with letters and phone calls from concerned citizens. Our radio show, Health Empowerment with Croft Woodruff has received a large amount of feedback from listeners about Bill C51 and the message is clear. People do not want their foods, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fatty acids treated like drugs. These products are safe and effective.

In the 90’s a similar move by the government against the industry resulted in the single largest petition in Canadian history. Canadians clearly put a high value on their freedom to choose to take control of their own health. More than 70% of Canadians use natural health products. So to say that the mobilization of people against a serious threat to an industry (that is recognized as safe) is the result of few corporations own self interest is absurd. And it belittles the actions and wishes of the majority of the Canadian people.

Andrew McGivern