Health Canada Commits Human Rights Violations*

by David W. Rowland

On March 11, 1998, the Human Rights Tribunal decided that the Health Protection Branch (HPB) of Health Canada committed discrimination against suppliers of natural health products, on the basis of race. Appellants in the action against Health Canada were David Bader and the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

The HPB allowed the Chinese community to sell herbal products without requisite DIN (drug identification number) registrations and products that made forbidden Schedule A claims to treat particular diseases ‹ yet prevented western health food stores from selling products that were similarly unregistered or made similar disease claims. The Tribunal also found that ³the mandate of the HPB was subject to and was influenced by pressure groups. There is also evidence of political pressure at higher levels ... these pressures caused HPB to adopt policies and practices inconsistent with its mandate.² In its decision, the Tribunal has ordered that:

the HPB cease treating herb and botanical dealers differently according to race, national or ethnic origin and that it cease unequal enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act based on ethnicity of dealers, products or consumers.
Health Minister Allan Rock conduct a national review of the HPB¹s enforcement policies, practices and compliance strategies relating to herbs and botanicals in order to eliminate unsound distinctions based upon ethnicity of dealer, product or consumer.
Health Canada develop a racially neutral compliance enforcement strategy in order to eliminate prevailing distinctions by racial sector in the herbal and botanical industry, in order to create a level playing field for all participants.
Health Canada publish, within 90 days, a Letter to Trade stating its commitment to a uniform national approach to the regulation and enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act and regulations with regard to herbal and botanical products, irrespective of where sold or by whom imported.

*complete article to appear in Next issue of Health Naturally

Please forward widely. In S.Africa this same charge currently being made in Canada of unequal application of the law regarding regulation of dietary supplements is being made by PHARMAPACT against the Medicines Control Council which has been severely regulating international products sold in health food stores, blocking many from importation while severely limiting allowable potencies while simultaneously not regulating African herbs at all despite toxicological evidence showing it to be the cause of 50% of deaths caused by poisoning to their indigenous people. (MCC is engaging in genocide.)

By revealng this and other corruption, PHARMAPACT in S.Africa has just caused the top people at MCC to be fired, and will be bringing a Constitutional challenge against the government demanding equal application of the laws. (The indigenous African people in S.Africa will never tolerate any incursions into their use of herbs any more than the Chinese or Indians in Canada will.) I am working on an article about the pivotal battle for health freedom currently raging in S.Africa. For more information about their battle, please visit the PHARMAPACT health freedom website and radio station which can be reached from a link off the IAHF website. - John Hammell, April 1, 1998