After receiving a majority vote in the House of Commons on May 29, 2024, Private Member’s Bill, Bill C-368 passed Second Reading! It’s important for you to know that very few Bills make it through Second Reading. This achievement is ALL thanks to the engagement of Canadians. Bill C-368 was then studied by the Standing Committee on Health (HESA) throughout fall 2024, and has officially been passed back to the House of Commons for the Report Stage and Third Reading.
A Private Member’s Bill is a Bill that can be introduced by any Member of Parliament that is not a Member of the Cabinet. After a Bill is introduced to Parliament, the Bill will be debated and voted on by other Members of Parliament, becoming law if it garners sufficient support. This Bill is a draft law.
In the fall of 2023, Shawn Buckley consulted on the drafting of this Private Member’s Bill to repeal Sections 500-504 of the Budget Implementation Act, 2023, No. 1 (formerly Bill C-47). As you may know, these sections, embedded within the annual budget bill, reclassify natural health products and subject the entire industry to heightened regulation and excessive fines up to $5,000,000 per day, by moving them fully into the therapeutic products category, alongside chemical drugs.
As the conversation around Bill C-368 intensifies and the bill heads back to the House of Commons, it’s essential for all Members of Parliament to understand the context and stakes involved. Shawn Buckley has submitted a comprehensive brief to the Standing Committee on Health that explains why Bill C-368 is so important. This brief highlights that Health Canada’s push to classify NHPs as therapeutic products—akin to over-the-counter chemical drugs—is unnecessary and harmful. It also points out that Canadians have been pushing back against such changes since the 1990s and emphasizes that Health Canada already had the power to protect public safety under existing laws long before Bill C-47.
Click through below to a new webpage where you can download and print one of three different one-page letters or a full package, which includes Shawn Buckley’s brief. Even with Canada Post on strike, you can still deliver a single-page letter or the complete six-page package, to your MPs local constituency office. Every letter counts!
After consultation with Shawn Buckley, on Tuesday December 5, 2023, MP Blaine Calkins of Red Deer—Lacombe, Alberta, took a decisive stand in support of our cause and officially tabled a Private Member’s Bill to repeal sections 500-504 of Bill C-47 in the House of Commons. The Bill was seconded by MP Brad Vis, and given the official Bill number C-368.
This action by MPs Calkins and Vis effectively amplifies our voices, champions the cause for the natural health industry, and acts in the interests of every Canadian citizen that relies on natural health products to care for their health and well-being.
Check out our 1.5 minute video of the introduction of the Bill in the House of Commons.
Our journey to protect natural health products in Canada has reached an exciting juncture. An e-petition was registered with the House of Commons, echoing the NHPPA’s e-petition and championing the same vital cause—supporting Bill C-368.
Signing the registered e-petition is not just a signature; it’s a declaration of our collective determination to maintain our health freedoms and access to natural health products. Over 12,000 Canadians signed this e-petition.
We passed an exciting milestone! We’ve already made waves with over 300,000 electronic letters supporting Bill C-368 sent to our MPs! The sheer volume of correspondence sent shows the incredible power we hold when we unite for our health and the freedom to choose how we care for it.
Our actions are an unmistakable statement that we stand together to protect access to natural health products in Canada.
Sending an electronic letter to Members of Parliament takes less than a minute, but it could make a lifetime of difference. Ensure your voice is heard loud and clear in the halls of power.
Act now, by sending an electronic letter in support of Bill C-368, and be a part of shaping a healthier future for all Canadians.
Bill C-368 has the potential to profoundly impact Canada’s natural health product industry and your access to these products.
The bill’s second reading in the House of Commons began on April 29, 2024, with the first of two one-hour-long debates on the bill’s merit. MPs from the Conservative, NDP, and Bloc Québécois parties all expressed strong support. They emphasized the importance of preserving the $3 billion industry, which employs 54,000 Canadians and generates $150 million in GST revenue annually. MPs also criticized the new regulatory framework, warning it would lead to fewer products at higher prices and disproportionately harm women.
Catch the highlights in our 5-minute video that explores key moments from Bill C-368’s second reading and how it affects the natural health sector.
As a reminder, the first hour of debate took place on April 29 and MPs from the Conservative, NDP, and Bloc Québécois parties all expressed strong support.
Members of Parliament will engage in the final hour of debate on the merits of Bill C-368, which will be followed by a decisive vote the following week on May 29th. A ‘yes’ from the majority of MPs means it moves forward to the Standing Committee on Health for thorough review and discussion.
Although Parliamentary business can shift, the second hour of debate and vote is now scheduled for Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 5:30 pm ET. You can watch the May 22nd debate live on the House of Commons website.
In the short time we have left until the vote, keep sending your Members of Parliament electronic letters in support of Bill C-368.
We are thrilled to announce that Bill C-368 has officially passed Second Reading after receiving a majority vote in the House of Commons!
We are grateful for the support from the Bloc Québecois, Conservative, NDP and Green Party members who voted in favour of Bill C-368. Despite the Liberal party voting against it, we still secured the majority needed to pass the Bill.
This is a massive win! It’s important for you to know that very few Bills make it through Second Reading. This achievement is perhaps a bigger win than you may even realize, and it is ALL thanks to your hard work!
But the process of passing Bill C-368 is not over. To ensure the continued success of Bill C-368, we encourage you to continue directing communications towards the 12 members on the Standing Committee on Health.
Keep the pressure up by sending another electronic letter to committee members!
Why do we need another e-petition?
This registered petition closed for signatures on December 8th, 2024.
In his comprehensive brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA), Shawn Buckley, a leading legal expert on natural health products, examines the implications of Bill C-368 on Canadian health freedoms.
NHPPA has now launched a new letter campaign to support getting Mr. Buckley’s brief into the hands of every Member of Parliament.
Click here to get involved by sending an electronic letter to your MP, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health, and all 12 members on the Standing Committee on Health.
After successfully defeating damaging amendments, Bill C-368 has passed the committee stage and will now return to the House of Commons for the Report Stage and Third Reading. This marks a critical step forward in the legislative process, bringing the bill closer to becoming law.
During the Committee Stage the Standing Committee on Health reviewed six proposed amendments to Bill C-368 that threatened to undermine its purpose. Canadians took note! With only 7 days to act between when the amendments were proposed and when they would be voted on, we accomplished the following:
MPs heard the public’s feedback loud and clear, and voted against damaging amendments in committee. Bill C-368 will now be passed back to the House of Commons for the Report Stage and Third Reading.
Show your support by signing our e-petition in favour of Bill C-368.
Send an electronic letter to your MP and others in support of Bill C-368
Choose the letter that resonates most with you… or you can send multiple letters!
We have provided four form letter options below.
However, if you have the capacity to write your own letter, in your own words, we strongly encourage you to do so. Personalized letters hold much more weight with our MPs.
The 12 Members of Parliament that make up the Standing Committee on Health represent all Canadians as they study issues that relate to health. You can find their contact information here:
Standing Committee on Health Members
At the link above, click the individual MP’s photo, and then select the “Contact” toggle to view their address.
It is important to send a letter to your MP at both their House of Commons address and their Constituency Office. You can find their Constituency Office here:
House of Commons Current Members of Parliament.
If you’re willing, you can also mail your letter to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health. Actually, you don’t have to stop mailing letters… you could even send your letter to all 338 MPs.
MP Letter Supporting Bill C-368, Option 1
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MP Letter Supporting Bill C-368, Option 2
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MP Letter Supporting Bill C-368, Option 3
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MP Letter Supporting Bill C-368, Option 4
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Bill C-368, English and French
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Draft Private Member’s Bill with Notes
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