Health, environmental and consumer groups urge the Senate to pass Bill C-6
before holiday gift-giving season

TORONTO , Dec. 2 /CNW/ - The Senate is being urged to pass the Consumer Product Safety Act before the upcoming holiday gift-giving season and in the interest of the safety and welfare of all Canadians. The majority of Canadians believe that if a product or toy is available on the market, that is must be safe. Unfortunately this is not always the case given the dangerous children's products that have recently been recalled. There are more than 18,000 annual emergency room visits for children as a result of product-related injuries. We want our children to be safe this holiday season and in the future.

Injuries from the use of consumer products are common, frequently serious and sometimes fatal. With the current Hazardous Product Act, the Government of Canada does not have the ability to issue a mandatory recall to protect consumers, and especially children, from dangerous products. The proposed Bill C-6: Consumer Product Safety Act, which is still being debated by the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, would give the government the ability to issue a timely and mandatory recall once a product is deemed unsafe.

Bill C-6 was unanimously approved in the House of Commons and by the House Standing Committee on Health as a long overdue and crucial piece of legislation. Organizations that would like to see the passage of Bill C-6: Consumer Product Safety Act without delay include:

    
    - Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research
    - Atlantic Collaborative on Injury Prevention
    - Canadian Public Health Association
    - Canadian Institute of Child Health
    - Child Safety Link
    - Ecojustice
    - Environmental Defence
    - Option consommateurs
    - Safe Kids Canada
    - Saskatchewan Prevention Institute
    - SMARTRISK
    

For further information: Lisa Lipkin, Safe Kids Canada, [email protected], [phone]