DSA Canada President Peter Maddox represented the interests of Canada’s direct selling industry during a hearing before the Canadian Standing Committee on Health (HESA).
During the two-hour session, Maddox addressed Members of Parliament from across party lines, highlighting the impacts of the Natural Health Products (NHPs) regulatory framework on direct selling investment, innovation, and consumer choice.
At the hearing, DSA Canada was joined by representatives from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Canadian Health Food Association, and other prominent national organizations.
“Each of these associations has membership numbers significantly larger than ours, underscoring DSA Canada’s outsized influence in Ottawa,” said Maddox. “We may be relatively small, but we are certainly mighty.”
The session centered on recent changes to NHP regulations, specifically the introduction of mandatory recall powers via an omnibus budget bill, and industry efforts to reconsider this shift. However, broader topics such as government transparency and the essential role of industry in regulatory decisions affecting products like NHPs and cosmetics were also discussed.
In his opening statement, Maddox spotlighted key challenges faced by direct sellers in the NHP sector, including issues surrounding cost-recovery fees, personal use exemptions, and regulatory enforcement.
“DSA Canada’s continued visibility and advocacy efforts in Ottawa and across Canada are essential,” he added. “This enables us to be part of important conversations and ensures respect and support if future regulatory challenges arise.”
To learn more about DSA Canada’s participation at the hearing: Watch a video of DSA Canada’s opening statement or read the transcript,or view the full committee hearing recording.
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