Armed And Dangerous

In the case of the bills recently proposed to tighten the regulations on the NHP industry;
Bills are the bullet. Inappropriate regulations are the gun.

For those who were savvy to the politics, the introduction of Bill C-51 sent shockwaves around the country. It should have never happened. The natural health community had won the right to direct regulations fitting the industry ten years prior. C-51’s framework set out to restrict the natural health community from continuing “business as usual”.

Bill C-52 and its reincarnation Bill C-6 have sparked another national backlash.

Bill after Bill will continue to be tabled unless we have a permanent solution.

Until we change the root of the problem the “spirit” of bills like 2008’s Bill C-51 is alive and well.

Easy Act To Follow

This website features a proactive solution to the industry’s rising tension about livelihoods and lives.

The Charter of Health Freedom calls for the creation of a new ministry, the Ministry of Wellness.

This is our own natural health products Act. It is drafted by constitutional lawyer Shawn Buckley and his national advisory team. It protects appropriately, honours ancestral and ancient medicines, is honest, relevant, healthy, strong in its simplicity and strictly Canadian.

Just like the Tobacco Act, Seeds Act, Canada Grain Act or Canada Water Act, the Charter calls for a comprehensive re-framing of natural health product regulations. Complete with an Ombudsman; regular public consults; representation of all modern and cultural natural medicines; employees, inspectors and a Minister educated in natural health; regulations that match natural health products, manufacturers (large and small), retailers and health practices it governs; the Charter of Health Freedom can be a permanent safeguard to what we know is a profound and growing wellness community.

Laws that govern the lives of people should be understood by the people. The Ministry of Wellness will clearly define the new natural health product laws so they are understood by all. The Ministry of Wellness will be an oasis for the millions of Canadians using and relying on natural health products.

The Ministry of Wellness can be developed with Parliament to define the best way to fit it into Canada’s current legislature.

Post No Bills

Remember that what we want is a completely separate act or specific legislation.

One that sets the natural health industry absolutely and entirely apart from drugs. Which is where it is to this day. The creation of the Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) in 1999 was supposed to give us a 3rd and independent category, from which appropriate regulations would come.

This did not happen.

Natural health products are being treated as drugs… by being regulated like drugs.

The tightening we will continue to see comes from regulations set out for chemical pharmaceuticals assumed to be dangerous, since they are foreign molecular structures, not found in nature.

Split Personalities

To The Natural Health Community is currently sending mixed messages on the most important issue it has faced in generations. The failure of the Natural Health community to send a single unambiguous message on such an important issue could well lead to its demise.

Stop vs Amend

There are currently two schools of thought that prevail with regards to Bill C-51: Stop vs Amend. Many bills that pass into law are amended. If it is supported by the public it will pass into law with amendments caused by public input as to how to make the popular Bill better. The government expects popular Bills to be amended.

When you ask for an amendment you are communicating that you are in support of the bill but that you want to make it better with some amendments.

So quite simply “stop” means that you do not support the Bill, whereas “amend” means that you are in favour of a Bill and would like to see it passed into law with some adjustments (amendments).

How Do Bills Get Through Readings?

Members of Parliament are busy people, and some don’t take time to read proposed legislation (oddly enough). Given the high stakes with Bill C-51 and any other Bills like it including over-regulations (government control) it is important that we direct our MPs to educate themselves about specific bills. 1/3 of the MPs will read a Bill and simply tell the other 2/3rds what to think. This is not appropriate leadership. Especially when there are potentially devastating effects on the health and freedom of Canadians.

Hold your MP accountable. They work for us. We pay their salary. They are in Parliament to represent our best interests. All that is required is for Canadians to make it loud and clear that we want access to natural health products and traditional medicine protected.

The Charter of Health Freedom is a solution to what could end, what was, and now again, will be the largest consumer driven revolt in Canadian history, permanently.

Chatelaine Of Politics

A little known fact to most of us is that during the parliamentary process of creating, reflecting and debating proposed legislation a Bill actually gets published for public review in something called the Canada Gazette 1.

It’s simply called Part 1: Notices and proposed regulations. And guess what?

You have the opportunity to comment in what the government calls Consultation. Every single one of us gets a chance to offer our opinion of the regulations that can affect your daily life.

It is policy to makes federal departments and agencies demonstrate that Canadians have been consulted and that they have had an opportunity to participate in developing or modifying regulations and regulatory programmes.

How many of you, especially those in the natural health community, voiced your opinion about Bill C51 through Consultation last year?

There is a Canada Gazette Part 2, that prints the official regulations, once passed, and Part 3, letting us know when the new laws come into force.

When a Bill is introduced in Ottawa, typically, it goes through first and second reading, then to something called committee and finally off to third. Each step involves a vote. The process takes quite some time. In the end Bills are either are passed into law, or not.

Losing Our Identity

The “Gazetting” of a proposed Bill would not have to take place if Bill C51 and Bill C52 are to pass (regardless of what Bill number they morph into in) So, ask yourself this: Would you be comfortable with the introduction of foreign laws adopted as Canadian law without parliamentary vote or public debate?

Taking Law Into Your Own Hands

The Canada Gazette is the “official newspaper” of the Government of Canada since 1841 and is supposed to make you aware and get you engaged in creating your Canada. Most of us have to get interested in the theatre of politics first, and believe that we have an affect on law.

Kitchen table debates could get very interesting if you moved them to your computer room and instead of commiserating with one another, logging onto the Consulting with Canadians website and offer your comments and opinions. You don’t have to wait until something is tabled. You can make a difference now by writing letters, sending emails, holding rallies and more.

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