Statement made on 26 October 2010 by Senator Catherine Callbeck
Hon. Catherine S. Callbeck:
Honourable senators, my question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. In 2001, the federal government introduced a tobacco control strategy that was aimed at reducing the use of tobacco. At that time Canada was a leader on the world stage for tobacco control. Canada was the only country that exceeded the WHO's 30 per cent minimum size standard for warning labels on packages. In fact, it met the recommendation size of 50 per cent.
Since that time, 30 countries and jurisdictions have adopted or surpassed that 50 per cent recommendation. Canada has lost its status as a leader and we have fallen behind.
Health Canada has been working for years on new warnings. It has completed all of the analysis and conducted all of the consultations, but it appears that the implementation of these new warnings has now stopped, and there is no indication that Health Canada plans to move on the changes.
Why has this government failed to bring forward new tobacco product warning labels that can help save lives?
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