|
ID |
Name |
Organization |
City |
State/Province |
Comment |
|
|
258 |
David Elias |
|
Toronto |
ON |
Most Canadians are aware that eating hemlock is dangerous. Thankfully, the Canadian Food and Drug Administration operates to prevent substances like this from entering the food supply.
But suppose hemlock was allowed in certain foods, provided these foods were labelled appropriately. Would this be acceptable?
Granted trans fats are not as lethal as hemlock, they are harmful enough to merit similar treatment.
Most European countries have chosen to ban any trans fats in their food.
Health Canada claims that when compared to the $300-million cost of the labels to the food industry, the government will save $5.3-billion over 20 years.
Imagine the financial benefits if trans fats were banned outright.
Keeping Canadians out of the hospital and out of the health care system should be a priority. If not for financial reasons, if not for compassionate reasons, than to have a healthy and productive populace.
When ingested in sufficient quantity, DDT destroys the nervous system. Lead cause mental retardation. Arsenic causes cancer. These substances have been dealt with in a very simple manner. They’ve been highly restricted from any food sold in Canada.
There is no logic in banning certain harmful substances while allowing others.
Instead of keeping things simple, labelling policies forces Canadians to grapple with more information than is necessary.
As consumers, who can we depend on for ensuring our food is safe and wholesome?
One suggestion is industry. Between 60 and 70 per cent of food sold in Canada is manufactured by corporations, as opposed to independent producers. Generally speaking, unless these large corporations have product lines specifically targeted to health conscious consumers, their objective does not necessarily involve nutrition.
Profit driven corporations are largely responsible for making trans fats a growing concern in Canada. Snack foods and cookies, which contribute the lion’s share of trans fats into the Canadian diet, are among the top seven food categories in the country and continue to grow.
Corporate pursuit for profit is not always congruous with the public good. Whenever incongruity occurs, the government is responsible for protecting the public.
Our food does contain minute levels of harmful substances such as DDT and arsenic, usually less than 5 parts per million. Acceptable levels are outlined in the Canadian Food and Drug Act. The FDA deems these levels to be acceptable for human consumption.
If these restrictions were suddenly revoked, corporations could not be expected to simply act on good faith and keep dangerous substances at a minimum. Their prime directive is profitability. Not safety, not nutrition.
Thankfully, the Food and Drug Act remains firmly in effect to the credit of the Canadian Government. The Act is legally enforced. Violations are penalized.
Nobody, other than the government, can enforce these kinds of standards to ensure the safety of our food.
Requiring that trans fats be labelled is bad policy. It sends a message to consumers that it’s acceptable to allow food producers to compromise the health of Canadians so long as they tell them up front.
As we have done with hemlock and arsenic, it’s necessary to take a bold step to regulate this substance. Labelling is not a bold enough. |
|
|
255 |
David S. Forbrigger |
|
Dartmouth |
NS |
|
|
|
249 |
Melanie Soucy |
|
Rothesay |
NB |
I am a Registered Nutritional Consultant, and have my own practice in New Brunswick. I teach my clients about this subject on a daily basis, most of whome do not know the real dangers of this fat. I encourage every person, with an interest in their own health, and that of their childrens, to take a close look at this subject. It only takes one person to start the ball rolling. Good Luck! |
|
|
245 |
Nilo Medina |
|
winnipeg |
MB |
Very Good purpose and I also hope that they will also shave fats of meats we buy in grocery store. Not only its very unhealthy but consumer also pays for it when they weigh it in the stores. Imagine the money we can save on health care. |
|
|
243 |
Judy Jenkins |
|
|
NS |
It seems incredible that we have to ask our government to take action, knowing the effects of comsuming this item. |
|
|
241 |
Zoe Steele |
|
London |
ON |
Thank-you for organizing to tackle this extremely important issue. You will be helping to save the health of many Canadians, most of which don't yet understand the impact of trans fats. Your effort is much appreciated. |
|
|
237 |
Catherine Ransome |
|
Delta |
BC |
Please don't kill off all the poor people, The rich won't support you. |
|
|
235 |
Marko Adamovic |
|
|
|
|
|
|
234 |
Philip Foggoa |
|
Lake Echo |
NS |
|
|
|
232 |
Lisa Foggoa |
|
Lake Echo |
NS |
|
|
|
231 |
Antonije Baturan |
|
Toronto |
ON |
|
|
|
230 |
Brenda Frank |
|
Lunenburg County |
NS |
This is an important issue and is a great start but I feel that more can be done to protect our food supply such as labelling all ingredients, identifying and eliminating genetically altered ingredients as well. With a country as large and prosperous as Canada I would like to know why we cannot focus on making these changes and providing safe food our own consumption before we concern ourselves about exports. |
|
|
227 |
Janette Wallace |
|
Milford |
NS |
Anything to help rid or restrict trans fat in our life would benefit our society immensely, now and for future generations. |
|
|
224 |
cynthia McKeen |
|
Dartmouth |
NS |
How is it that this has happened? Trans-fatty acids should be removed immediately from our food sources. Is it true they are banned in Great Britain? We should follow their example. |
|
|
223 |
Margaret Morine |
Morine's Farm |
Bridgewater |
NS |
|
|
|
222 |
Larry Skelly |
|
Whibty |
ON |
Come on Canada, show some leadership for a change! |
|
|
220 |
Edward Hamilton |
|
RR 1 Brookfield |
NS |
|
|
|
218 |
Walter Pierce |
|
Lower Sackville |
NS |
This is something long overdue. It will go a long way in reducing health care costs and give a Grandchildren a much better life. |
|
|
212 |
Colleen Ross |
|
Winnipeg |
MB |
|
|
|
207 |
marsha carew |
|
castlegar |
BC |
|
|
|
204 |
David McKnight |
|
Chilliwack |
BC |
|
|
|
202 |
Joan Horne |
|
Canso, Guys. County, |
NS |
I am really alarmed at the use of Trans Fats in our food. It is such a dangerous substance to be used so casually in out food. I am totally against it's use. |
|
|
201 |
Tom Black |
|
Oxford |
NS |
|
|
|
199 |
Leslie Gillies |
|
Gimli |
MB |
Good for you! How can Health Canada think that the average 8 year old with $2.00 in his or her pocket is going to check a label to make sure the words hydrogenated soyabean oil / palm oil don't appear on the package. Denmark has done the only logical and ethical thing... one simple way of keeping their people healthier (and as a bonus lowering their healthcare budget, in time) Why would our country condone putting something in common foods, at high concentrations, that is biologically unrecognizable to the body. |
|
|
198 |
Jacques Bradette |
|
markham |
ON |
Thank you |
|
 |
