Aglukkaq pushing Senators to restore C-6

Bill C-6, also known as the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, would replace Part I of the 40-year-old Hazardous Products Act. Liberal Senator Joseph Day of New Brunswick, who leads a Senate committee that has been examining the bill, has introduced 16 amendments to it. The amendments must still be voted on by the full Senate, which could occur as early as today (Dec 7).

Meanwhile, federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq will be holding a press conference with consumer groups in an effort to pressure senators into rejecting the amendments. Aglukkaq and industry groups like the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSRA) accuse the Senate of being pro-industry and ignoring the health and safety of Canadians. But it appears the opposite is true.

Members of the public who have been lobbying against what they call the ‘draconian’ provisions of C-6 affecting basic rights and freedoms are undoubtedly pleased with the changes. While they have no disagreement with protecting the health and safety of Canadians, they do take issue with destroying the foundation of democracy and freedom to do so, when such a heavy-handed approach does not appear to be necessary for the protection of Canadian consumers.

Day said “there has to be a check on this new power,” and the committee’s amendments simply “rebalance” what he argues is a piece of legislation that “over-reaches.”

The amendments would deny government inspectors the power to unilaterally order a recall of consumer items without first consulting the manufacturer or distributor. The amended bill says the minister can ask for a recall if she “believes on reasonable grounds that a consumer product is a danger to human health or safety.”

Proposed changes would also force inspectors to get a search warrant in some circumstances before doing a spot inspection of a business.

Day, who champions the cause of private property and business, said one of the amendments is to prevent what he called “a fishing expedition” by inspectors on private property, and another gets rid of wording that would absolve the government of any responsibility for property damaged in the course of an inspection.

Day also says that Canadians’ personal information could end up in the wrong hands if the bill becomes law as it is now written. “A Third World agency in another country could receive your personal information and you would never be told about it,” he told reporters.

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