(see note also at end of post - & get the facts from the Government of Canada here.)There is a lot of talk about Bill c-51 these days. ..& it's scary, scary stuff we are talking about here.
We are talking police state stuff, Canada changing completely - Can this be? Is this a possibility?
Our future is at stake.. right here, right now.
This is such crazy, scary stuff it's hard to believe its for real and that is is happening here in Canada!!
(I have one friend who is leaving the country if this goes through!)
If you haven't yet signed a petition, keep your eyes out for them they are everywhere.
& read more .. at the Stop C51 website & there is a great article in this month's Vitality Magazine.
There are many reasons to be educated about this - it's extremely intrusive and controlling.
Herbs and natural supplements, that we can freely buy at any health food store, are going to be regulated or should I say prescribed. And if we are under suspicion of having any unprescribed herbs or natural supplements in our homes, on our premises, then the 'authorities' have the right to remove them at our expense.. and fine us up to several millions of $'s. ..and 2 years in jail for each offense. (section 31.1)
Vitamin C only available by prescription!?! wow! Hide the Maca!!
Health Canada inspectors will have authority higher than that of the police!
This bill will also give them the right to enter our property without a warrant (section 23 (4) .. and remove anything they wish. .. and to seize out bank accounts, again without a warrant, to pay up if convicted. (section 23 (2)
This bill will categorize natural products as they do pharmaceutical products.
Theres more!
This law will allow bills to be passed behind closed doors with the assistance of foreign governments and industrial and trade organizations (section 30.7)
Raids can be enforced on natural health care providers (section 23.1)
Research can be shut down without any scientific reason or evidence of harm. (section 18.5)
The Food & Drug minister, based on his own opinions, can choose which natural products to allow and disallow on the market.
& thats not all..
This is the part that really got to me when I heard it - We will not be allowed to give advice concerning natural health care products any more.. for instance if I write the Vitamin C is good for a cold - it has to have Health Canada's approval or this will be considered a crime! ..then they can shut me down, fine me, etc etc..
Outrage at Heath Canada's Bill C-51
However, this bill will help Canada join into the really scary international Codex efforts which are working to regulate food and drugs worldwide.
Canada is still at this time a democracy and if we employ our civil powers we have the choice to stop this conforming .. Hopefully we do not just take a backseat and go with the flow as comes so easily in this beautiful albeit overly polite nation of ours!!
CODEX - Criminalizing Natural Health, Vitamins and Herbs - Part 1 (of 5)
(note: my son just read this and looked up the actual Bill found here and told me that I was wrong on a couple things. Getting Vitamin C by prescription, not having access to supplements and that the police will need a warrant to enter your house.. This post was actually written in June & got drafted, forgot to post it - The bill has been amended since then.)
Robin:
ReplyDeleteI congratulate your son for checking the source material. He is correct that Vitamin C, in fact all NHPs, will not require prescriptions, that C-51 will not change your access to supplements, and that inspectors will require a warrant to enter your house. Most of the scary things you have mentioned are part of a viral campaign instigated by StopC51 (aka Truehope) who have corporate interests in undermining C-51. See:
http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-05-28.html#feature
Health Canada actually strongly supports NHPs. Their NHP Directorate is run by a naturopath and is staffed and advised by naturopaths, homeopaths, and practitioners of traditional medical systems.
NHPs have been subject to NHP Regulations since 1994, which will continue in force after C-51 passes. If you haven't noticed that NHPs have disappeared from the shelves since 1994, then you won't notice them disappear after C-51.
Health inspector already have substantial powers under the current Food and Drugs Act.
There is nothing in C-51 about arresting average people for giving casual healthcare advice. The current Food and Drugs Act and C-51 require that NHP manufacturers prove the health claims for their products during product licensing. These claims can show evidence of either scientific proof or traditional use.
The Codex Alimentarius applies only to nations that regulate NHPs as food. Canada does not do that currently, and C-51 will not change that.
At Ottawa Skeptics, we are keen to challenge StopC51's assault on rationality and to assess C-51 critically rather than ideologically. NHP consumers deserve to have the safety and quality of their NHPs protected, which is what C-51 aims to do.
Barry Green
http://www.ottawaskeptics.org/