1. What is Bill C-420 about? For those who don't know, Bill C-420 will put neutraceuticals,
supplements and vitamins back into the food category guaranteeing that
Canadians will have the right to choose their supplements with good
selection and affordable prices. If C-420 doesn't go through we will
see most of the selections on store shelves go down to just a few
products and most of these will only be available under prescription or
in dosages that are ineffective. Drug type regulations will take effect
and many medium to small businesses in the industry will vanish. Get in
touch with your local member of parliament. Ask for a personal meeting
to discuss your concerns. Get involved now before it's too late.
Turning back the clock is much harder than effecting change now."
2. What
is Codex? Codex is
a sub-committee of the United Nations mandated to establish guidelines
on food trade issues.
3. What's the problem?
In 2002 a European Union Directive produced such guidelines for Codex.
It turns out, their effect will with certainty be to stop the
availability of all vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and most other
essential nutrients as food supplements; they are slated to be treated
as pharmaceutical drugs, eventually available on prescription only and
manufactured by pharmaceutical companies from synthetic materials,
including from genetically engineered substances.
Due to interlocking international treaties, specifically the WTO
established in 1995, and the still to be ratified Free Trade Agreement
of the Americas (FTAA), Canada and the US would be faced with serious
sanctions if they do not adopt these guidelines. Codex authority is
already part of these treaty texts. Australia, Norway, Denmark and
Germany have already adopted these “foods as drugs” guidelines.
4. How has this effected Germany? In the mid-1990s my mother, then in her 80s, had a stroke. She
lived in Germany. When she left hospital, I was ready with a
nutritional plan that included high-dose vitamins: C, E, and B —
especially Inositol, as well as Co-enzyme Q10. So I went to the local
pharmacy, whose owner was a family friend for some 25 years, and handed
him my list.
In return, he handed me a small packet with a price sticker of DM 200
(then about $200) containing vitamin E capsules manufactured by one of
Germany’s largest pharmaceutical companies. The source was synthetic,
not the “mixed tocopherol” version from living plant sources I wanted,
which contains the whole E spectrum. The package contained a total of
10,000 IU of E, the equivalent of a mere 25 capsules of 400 IU each
that we are used to buying. In Canada, our bottles contain 90 capsules
and cost about $20. If Codex rules in Canada, we will likely pay $800
for a bottle of 90 capsules of low-quality vitamin E — if Health Canada
lets us buy that many at once, and if you can find a doctor willing to
prescribe it.
He then handed me a tube-shaped metal container with vitamin C
effervescent tablets. Each tablet, when dissolved in water would
release 10 mg of vitamin C in a refined sugar solution. Thus, this
ridiculously low amount was to be taken in a sugary medium that would
neutralize the vitamin without it doing anything at all. The cost:
about $10 for 12 tablets.
Then he asked me, “What’s Co-enzyme Q10? Are you allowed to buy all
this in Canada in such dangerous dosages?” When I told him what I take
daily, his eyes popped. Then I asked, “Why can’t I buy these
supplements here?” He replied, “Well, Germany is a Codex country.”
Oddly, Germany has several government-run hospitals where environmental
illness is treated with nutrients only, intravenous vitamin C, etc.
5. How does this effect Canadians?
Without parliamentary debate, Health Canada snuck up on us and moved
all supplements under the “drug”category effective January 2004, in
order to get us ready to be “harmonized”.
6. What has been done so far? Dr. James Lunney, a
Member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Alberni introduced private members Bill
C-420
Bill C-420 will put neutraceuticals, supplements and vitamins back into
the food category
Bill C-420 received it's first reading on March 20 2003
Bill C-420 was re-introduced by Dr. Lunney's colleague Colin Carrie, MP
for Oshawa, on October 21, 2004
The second hour of debate at second reading
was scheduled for March 3, 2005, with the vote to take place shortly
after.
We are encouraging everyone to call, write, fax, e-mail and visit their
MPs to encourage them to support C-420 at second reading.
7. I'd like to
read Bill C-240
A direct link to bill C-420 on the Government of
Canada's web site is here
It literally takes 2 minutes to read this very short bill.
8. Who's my
MP? What is his/her contact information? Find your MP by your postal code here
Find your MP by their name here
10. How did the
MP's vote on the motion at second reading for Bill C-420? 124 yea 85 nay 10 Here's
your chance to support the yea's and inform the nay's
11. What's the
latest news on this issue
On Thursday March 10 2005, Bill C-420 passed second reading and now
goes to commitee
More about this wonderfull news here
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comment please let me know.