OTTAWA – On Tuesday, NDP MP Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan – Malahat – Langford) tabled a bill in the House of Commons that was brought forward by local students, Isha Courty-Stephens and Hana Reid, through the Create Your Canada competition.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2023
OTTAWA – On Tuesday, NDP MP Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan – Malahat – Langford) tabled a bill in the House of Commons that was brought forward by local students, Isha Courty-Stephens and Hana Reid, through the Create Your Canada competition.
The bill would amend the Food and Drugs Act to make it so that all tampon ingredients must be labelled on the packaging. Currently Canada doesn’t require all the ingredients in menstrual products to be labelled, even though many tampon brands contain toxic ‘forever chemicals’.
“It’s great to see young people getting involved in politics and the decisions being made in government. I’m glad I get to be able to help encourage young people’s involvement, and turn their work into action,” said MacGregor. “It’s also important for Canadians to get the best information possible about their health, and this bill would give people just that. I also want to thank my colleague, Leah Gazan, MP for Winnipeg Centre and NDP critic for Women and Gender Equality, for seconding the bill.”
With many menstrual products containing traces of bleach and pesticides, and undisclosed carcinogens, they can result in long lasting health issues, including certain forms of cancer.
“It’s important that people can make informed decisions about their health – and the government needs to make sure that people can do just that,” added MacGregor. “The Liberals have a responsibility to hold companies that provide health products accountable to Canadians, which is why New Democrats believe in labeling products with more transparency to give Canadians more options.”
On Tuesday April 30th during question period I urged the Liberals to reverse their decision to expand the no-fishing zone to include Port Renfrew.
If their decision goes through, Port Renfrew and the Pacheedaht First Nation’s economy will be devastated. Recreational fishing brings in over 26 million dollars per season to the community. I have voiced my concerns with the Liberal’s decision on this before, creating an online petition that promotes science-based regulations for recreational fishing at Port Renfrew.
These abrupt salmon fishing closures will impact over 100 small businesses, and yet the Liberal government has failed to provide clear data to justify this sudden decision. Our government needs to consider the communities that will feel the impacts from their decisions, yet they have refused to share their data and conduct proper consultations with the people of Port Renfrew and the Pacheedaht First Nation.
You can watch the full video, and a response from Parliamentary Secretary for the DFO here.
I want to bring to your attention an important e-petition I sponsored in support of recreational fishing in Port Renfrew. It was initiated by Chris Tucker, President of the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce, and it was published on April 10th. It is open for signatures until May 10th.
Closures by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), without notices, threaten over 100 small businesses and the livelihoods of the owners and employees who run them. DFO has failed to provide credible data to justify the closures, leaving the local economies of many communities severely impacted.
E-petition e-4919 advocates for a shift away from arbitrary and punitive regulations imposed by DFO, moving instead to evidence-based policies that protect the economic stability of small coastal communities like Port Renfrew.
I have been a supporting the recreational fishing community and bringing their concerns to Ottawa for many years. In 2021, a cross-party representation of BC MPs and I wrote a letter to previous Minister Jordan in support of marked selective Chinook fishery opportunities that DFO is considering for the Pacific region. In 2023 and 2024 NDP MP Lisa Marie Barron and I wrote to Ministers Murray and Lebouthillier regarding the closing of Tidal Area 20 in efforts to protect the Southern Resident Killer Whale and wild pacific salmon.
Together, with your support and advocacy, we have a chance, through e-petition 4919, to tell the Government of Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that protecting our recreational fishing in Port Renfrew should be a key goal. I hope you’ll join me in signing and sharing this petition.
My colleague MP Lisa-Marie Barron and I wrote to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Minister on behalf of several Vancouver Island coastal communities, including Port Renfrew, regarding protection efforts for vital species such as the Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) and wild pacific salmon and the closure of Tidal Area 20 by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). Those out on the water have firsthand knowledge of the marine ecosystems that surround Vancouver Island, yet they are largely being left out in DFO`s decision-making process.
This potential closure will have detrimental impacts to many who rely on sport fishing for their livelihoods, yet the Sport Fishing Advisory Committee has not been meaningfully consulted causing unnecessary strain on Sport Fishers and costal communities. Again, the protection of the Southern Residential Killer Whale and wild pacific salmon is of upmost importance to everyone involved. And those on the water have local knowledge necessary in developing effective solutions.
You can read the full letter here
