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OTTAWA — Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq’s skirmishes with the Liberal-dominated Senate exploded into full battle Monday as two more members of the red chamber assailed tough measures in the new consumer product safety law she has championed.
Nfld. Sen. George Furey argued Bill C-6, which garnered all-party support in the House of Commons before it rose for the Christmas break, contains sections that are “rather outrageous” and “quite unconstitutional.”
Both he and Alberta Sen. Tommy Banks proposed amendments to the bill, even though changes proposed by a third Liberal senator last week were narrowly defeated.
The legislation would give the federal government more powers to prevent the sale of potentially unsafe products, such as cribs, household items or toys. For instance, the current legislation does not contain the power of mandatory recall; the federal government can only recommend that hazardous products be pulled from store shelves.
Furey is particularly concerned at new provisions, focused on home-based businesses, that would let inspectors enter private residences on an administrative warrant to seek potentially unsafe products for sale.
“This is Canada, our homes are an oasis of privacy,” he said.
Current law requires either consent or a criminal warrant before inspectors can enter, Aglukkaq said, which means harm may already have occurred before action can be taken.
As an example, she said that during the H1N1 pandemic, health officials issued warnings about Internet scams involving fake cures for influenza. She said more and more products are being sold from private dwellings.
“We can’t let homes become safe havens for unscrupulous businesses who want to shield themselves from health care inspectors,” Aglukkaq said.
christina.spencer@sunmedia.ca