Locals MPs discuss natural health product regulations and jurisdictional overreach

NHPs include probiotics, vitamins and minerals, herbal remedies, and homeopathic and Chinese medicines. Therapeutic products are considered drugs and devices.

Calkins explained that NHPs, many run by smaller producers, will now have to undergo the same approval processes as therapeutic products, mostly run by large pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer. He says the processing and penalty fees are more expensive, the latter increasing from $5,000 to potentially $5 million.

The federal government also proposed industry fees to recuperate regulation costs.

“I have my suspicions about what this is all about. Usually, if you follow the money, that’s what this is about,” he said. “This industry [NHPs] pays GST [Goods and Services Tax] on every product that they sell, which is something the pharmaceutical industry actually doesn’t; you don’t pay GST on your drugs at the store. This industry [NHPs] alone produces over half a billion dollars a year just in GST on the products that are sold so I don’t know why they’re going after a cost recovery model. That cost recovery model is going to be massive for the industry, they’re not designed or built in the same way that a pharmaceutical therapeutic side of the industry is. I think this is just bureaucracy run amuck or maybe somebody doesn’t like the competition,” he said.

He says there are already rules in place for the industry, stakeholders were not consulted, the rules will threaten the market’s supply, and that American companies have already begun to reach out to Canadian companies with incentives to move south of the border.

Calkins said while he has the support of his conservative MPs, he needs 52 more votes in Parliament to gain a majority.

Blaine Calkins, MP for Red Deer-Lacombe, and Earl Dreeshen, MP for Red Deer-Mountain View speak to Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce members on Thursday at the ‘Breakfast with the MPs’ event. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

Dreeshen said the federal government has been overstepping provincial jurisdiction not only with their pharmacare plans but with other aspects like the newly announced school lunch program.

“No consultation whatsoever but this is something that just makes headlines and that’s the issue. The provinces are responsible for delivering these types of services and they all do them in different ways; but the cookie cutter approach the government wishes to have is not something that is beneficial,” he said.

As a member of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, Dreeshen said the overreach also regards energy sectors, like the federal NDP’s private member’s bill presented this February to restrict oil ads. Not only did the Alberta NDP voice disagreement, but Dreeshen said the bill threatens free speech.

He said pride needs to be brought back to the nation, claiming the federal government’s primary focus on climate issues and damaged reputation from the foreign interference controversy, Calkins added, have made them lose trust and respect on the international stage.

Calkins added the next federal election, with Red Deer’s new electoral boundaries coming into effect, has been pushed back a week to Oct. 27, 2025 so Liberal MPs can be eligible for their pensions after six years of service, which would be ending on Oct. 21, 2025. In previous articles, the federal government said the push was to avoid overlapping with the holiday of Diwali and the Alberta provincial election.

rdnewsNOW reached out to Health Canada for comment but did not hear back in time for publishing.

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by Alessia Proietti

Locals MPs discuss natural health product regulations and jurisdictional overreach

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