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| Issue 01, 2008 (17 January) |
| Canadian Government Proposes New Measures to Enhance Consumer Product and Food Safety |
On 17 December 2007, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper unveiled a comprehensive plan designed to strengthen domestic regulations on food and consumer product safety. The proposed measures, known as the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan, will be formally introduced early this year and would have to be approved by the Canadian Parliament. Among other things, the proposal includes provisions that would (i) empower the federal government to issue mandatory product recalls when companies fail to act on legitimate safety concerns, (ii) make importers responsible for the safety of goods they bring into Canada, (iii) increase maximum fines under the Food and Drug Act from CA$5,000 up to current international standards, (iv) provide better safety information for consumers and guidance to industries on building safety throughout their supply chains, and (v) result in increased inspections of imported goods and stricter product licensing when problems arise.
Harper acknowledged at the ceremony where the action plan was made public that product safety regulation in Canada is not as rigorous as it should be, especially when compared to the legal frameworks developed by other industrialised nations. The Conservative prime minister also stated that "as more and more products from all over the world find their way onto Canadian store shelves we need to set and enforce state-of-the-art safety standards for domestic and imported goods."
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