From the office of Dr. Grant Hill, MP - Health Critic, Reform Party of Canada
We now have a Private Member's Bill which will make Health Canada prove that a natural health product is harmful to human health before they can regulate it as a drug. ln other words, if the 'health police' can't scientifically prove that melatonin is harmful to humans (when used as suggested, indicated or recommended), they can't infringe on your freedom to buy and consume it.
The Reform Health Freedom Amendment
This bill, called the Reform Health Freedom Amendment, will also allow anyone to make truthful health claims about natural health products. Right now, Schedule 'A' of the Food and Drugs Act makes it illegal to say, for example, that vitamin B6 alleviates morning sickness or that regular zinc supplements help ward off glaucoma. If we can get this bill passed, Schedule 'A' is history!
Again, YOU Can Make the Difference
Two years ago, the Government tried to ram Bill C-7 (which eventually turned into Bill C-8) down our throats. While C-8 did eventually pass, with your support through letters, petitions, talking to friends and relatives. I was able to get enough support to make the Government concede some significant concessions on behalf of freedom of choice. And remember the Government's site licensing regulations they were trying to force upon us which would have made natural health products more expensive? Again, you made the difference. Because of your vocal opposition, the Government retreated. On October 4, 1997, Health Minister Allan Rock was forced to announce the withdrawal of these sinister hidden health taxes that were supposed to come into effect on January 1, 1998. Congratulations!
We now have the bureaucrats and their political masters in the Liberal Government on the run. We must not relent. If we can get enough Members of Parliament (Reform, Liberal, Bloc, NDP and Conservative) to vote in favour of the Reform Health Freedom Amendment, Canadians will have the most progressive, least restrictive health freedoms in the developed world. We will have a system whereby if a substance is not harmful, the federal health police will have no business banning, suspending or in any way restricting our access to it. The Reform Health Freedom Amendment is the tool that will ensure your freedom of choice in health care prevails. But it will only happen if we can convince enough Members of Parliament to support it.
Below is a sample letter to a Member of Parliament. The
most effective letter is brief, to-the-point and hand-written.
And remember, NO POSTAGE IS NECESSARY when your mail your MP.
Address your letter as follows:
Date
Dear (Member of Parliament's name):
I urge you to support Grant Hill's "Reform Health Freedom Amendment".
If you fail support this important health freedom initiative, I will actively encourage all
constituents not to vote for you in the next federal election.
Sincerely,
Your Constituent
For more information on federal government health policy and the Reform Party's positions and proposals for health reform, contact Dr. Grant Hill, MP, Reform Party Health Critic, Room 619 Confederation Building, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6 (no postage necessary). Phone (613) 995-8471, Fax (613) 996-9770, Email - hillg@reform.ca