Communicating With Your MP

Don’t be afraid!

Some people are afraid of meeting with their MP. Don’t be. Remember that your MP is representing you, so they need to understand your expectations.

You are there to clearly communicate what you want and why. What you want is the following:

  1. get sections 500 to 504 of Bill C-47 repealed (the Act is called S.C. 2023, c. 26);
  2. get cost recovery for natural health product businesses stopped;
  3. de-regulate natural health products. They are being over-regulated;
  4. get the Charter of Health Freedom enacted, and
  5. stop the self-care framework.

You have educated yourself about these issues, share what you know.

Make it clear this is a voting issue, that you will not vote for the MP unless they do all they can on your five demands.

If you are going to join their party riding association let them know. And let them know that if they do not do what you want, you will not be voting for them when they seek the party riding nomination to run in the next election.

Take a copy of: 

  1. the Natural Health Products Crisis Summary document to give to the MP
  1. the Discussion Paper on Health Canada’s 2023 Initiatives to give to the MP

Pick a couple of the following points to speak about.  Then for subsequent visits and phone calls pick other points.

OPTIONAL TALKING POINTS

Please read the Discussion Paper so you understand the topics.

  • You have a duty as an MP to protect all Canadians.
  • Health Canada has been over-regulating natural health products for years. I am tired of this.
  • I rely on natural health products for list what you rely on natural health products for.
  • Speak about successful natural health product stories either personal or in your circle.
  • You are fourteen times more likely to be struck by lightning than to be killed by a natural health product. We do not need stricter regulations. I am not willing to give up my freedom to access natural health products.
  • Many Canadians rely on natural health products. They need to be protected.
  • We are going to lose natural health products and the practitioners that rely on them. Unless Canadians step up to stop this, this is the end of non-pharmaceutical health care.
  • The fees being imposed will drive small and many medium Natural Health Product (“NHP”) businesses and practitioners out of business.
  • The new fees will fund new permanent inspection/regulatory programs that will dramatically increase the regulatory burden on NHP businesses and practitioners.
  • The new regulatory burden being imposed will drive small and many medium NHP businesses and practitioners out of business.
  • We will lose natural health products, natural health companies and eventually natural health practitioners.
  • Prices to consumers will increase which removes products for people who can no longer afford them.
  • Censorship of truthful health information will increase which is a way of taking products away. If a person cannot be told a product can help them, the product is effectively taken away.
  • Taking away natural health products and censoring truthful information about them will have negative health consequences.
  • The powers and penalties we fought against in Bill C-51 in 2008 have been imposed on those in the natural health community. Fines have increased from a maximum of $5,000 an offence to $5,000,000 per day of an offence. Directors, officers and employees are also personally responsible for these $5,000,000 a day fines.
  • Health Canada will get almost God-like powers. They can order you to take any “corrective action”. Failure to comply can result in $5,000,000 a day fines.
  • The Self-Care Framework will restrict NHPs/Self-care products to conditions for which a person would not seek the advice of a health care practitioner licenced by a province. This will greatly reduce the conditions for which NHPs can be approved. It will eliminate professional products.
  • The Self-Care Framework will remove the ability to use traditional use evidence to support efficacy claims. This will lead to the loss of a large number of natural health products.
  • The chemical drug standards of efficacy to prove safety and efficacy will be imposed on natural health products. Requiring the same levels of evidence for efficacy and safety as is required for chemical over-the-counter drugs will lead to a large loss of natural products.
  • The compounding exemption will most likely be removed.
  • The Standing Committee on Health told us how to regulate natural health products. I want the Standing Committee on Health recommendations enforced.
  • I am angry about what Health Canada is doing.
  • I am angry that Health Canada snuck changes into the Budget Bill imposing the Vanessa Law powers and penalties upon natural health product businesses.

 

“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try going to bed with a mosquito.” – Dalai Lama

 

Let’s be as persistent as mosquitos as we individually and collectively inundate our MP’s offices with our demands to protect our freedom to access natural health products.