Minister Aglukkaq Highlights Need for Tougher Product Safety Law

News Release
2010-93
June 7, 2010
For immediate release

OTTAWA - The Government of Canada today reinforced its commitment to deliver tougher legislation to protect Canadian families from unsafe products as Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq toured the Health Canada Product Safety Laboratory in Ottawa. During her visit, the Minister was shown product safety testing methods used by Health Canada scientists and engineers, and also viewed banned products such as baby walkers and other recalled products such as toys, cribs and children's jewellery.

"The safety and well-being of Canadian families and children remain a top priority for our government," said Minister Aglukkaq. "Canada's current product safety law is now over 40 years old and we need to do more to update and improve this law to help protect our families from harmful products. We can do better and our government is taking action to ensure that happens."

The Minister highlighted that millions of Canadian consumers are affected by recalls every year. In 2009 alone, Health Canada posted over 300 voluntary recall notices, approximately one-third of which were for children's products.

"For these reasons, our Government is committed to reintroducing the proposed Canada Consumer Product Safety Act," continued Minister Aglukkaq. "This updated law means Canadians would be better protected from dangerous products that have no business in our homes or near our children. I look forward to speaking with you about the Act in greater detail in the coming days."

The proposed Canada Consumer Product Safety Act would give the Government the authority to issue mandatory recalls for dangerous consumer products, and provide new tools to quickly and effectively protect the health and safety of Canadians.

To learn more about which products are banned or which have special safety requirements in Canada , please read Health Canada 's fact sheet on Second-Hand Products & Garage Sale Safety.

For information on consumer products that have been voluntarily recalled, please check the Consumer Product Safety Database.

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Media Enquiries:
Health Canada
(613) 957-2983

Josee Bellemare
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200

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1-866 225-0709