Stop Bill C-51

Over the past few weeks, many Vitality readers have contacted us with great concern over Bill C-51. Vitality will be publishing more on this in the June issue of Vitality, but we found it imperative to immediately inform our online community on the implications of this Bill. Below is a compilation of information sent to us by various readers, and how you can get involved:

Health Canada is attempting to pass Bill C-51 to regulate and control our use of natural health products. Our freedom to choose natural foods and natural health products is at stake. We cannot even begin to imagine the far-reaching implications of this act, and the impact it will have on our health and well being. Time is now of the essence. This bill was introduced to the House of Commons on the 9th April, and has already had a second reading (which took place on the 28th April) It appears that our Government is trying to fast track this bill before anyone has a chance to challenge it. Bills normally take months to pass, not weeks.

There has never been a death in Canada caused by a natural health product. Considering that there are multiple deaths every year caused by common foods such as peanuts and shellfish, it is clear that natural health products are extremely safe. When you consider the health benefits of natural health products, including the fact that many of us rely upon them for our very lives, it becomes clear that the real danger in regulating them is to "over-regulate" them off of the market.

Bill C-51 gives Health Canada unprecedented power to take natural health products away from us. Even more troubling is that the State does not have to consider the health risk caused by their seizures. When the State seizes our natural health products, they are taking away our right to choose. That is, they are making our health decisions for us. We are then forced to use other treatments such as chemical pharmaceutical drugs which can be dangerous and ineffective. For those of us who only get relief from natural health products, the State is forcing us to suffer and in extreme circumstances, to die.

IMPLICATIONS OF C-51:

• approximately 75% of natural health products will become illegal
• illegal products must be voluntarily removed or be subject to Health Canada enforcement
• Health Canada has publicly announced it is hiring more enforcement officers and is holding recruitment meetings at universities
• Bill C-51 gives Health Canada unprecedented enforcement tools to force natural health products off of the market.

Under Bill C-51 the State could:

• seize without a reason, without a warrant, without limits to what can be seized, without a time limitation, and without reporting the seizure to a Court.
• In some cases seized property can be forfeited to the State without Court approval. Owners will have to pay the costs of the seizure, transport and storage of seized things, even if it turns out that there was not a safety risk.
• The State still needs to get a search warrant if they are going to search someone's home, but if it is not a home they do not need a warrant and can trespass on private property without any liability.
• Small family businesses are subject to the same maximum $5,000,000 fines as large corporations. Directors, officers and agents of a company can now be personally charged for the misdeeds of the company.

URGENT CALL TO ACTION

Bill C-51 was introduced into the House of Commons on April 8, 2008. The Bill is not yet law, but will become law unless Canadians act quickly. It is essential that you let key Members of Parliament know that:

• you are opposed to the police state powers in Bill C-51
• you want them to vote against Bill C-51
• you want your access to natural health products protected.

Members of Parliament pay attention to personal efforts by voters. You should:

1. Send a hand written letter. You can send your letters without postage to:
Name of person letter is to (eg. Stephen Harper)
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6.

2. Phone your local Member of Parliament and the Prime Minister's Office to voice your concerns. Stephen Harper's phone numbers are (613) 992-4211 and (403) 253-7990. Tony Clement's phone numbers are (613) 944-7740 and (705) 746-9053.

For your local MP's number go to: http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E

3. Sign a petition against the Bill at www.thepetitionsite.com/1/billc51

LINKS 

Bilingual/bilingue link to Bill C-51: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=3398126&file=4

For more information on Bill C-51 or on threats to Natural Health Products, visit www.nhppa.org as well as www.stopc51.com

Facebook's fastest growing Bill C-51 group: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12580615687 

Natural News article: www.naturalnews.com/008269.html