2007-150
October 24, 2007
For immediate release
OTTAWA - The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, and the Honourable Christian Paradis, Secretary of State (Agriculture) today launched a user-friendly and centralized Web site database at www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/recalls which will allow Canadians to search recalled food and children's products that are unsafe or unhealthy.
The new Web site combines recall information from Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency databases, and allows Canadians to search by keyword, date, product or company name, or browse through product recalls dating back to 1995. The Web site also features photographs of the recalled children's products, to allow Canadians to more quickly recognize the products.
"Parents from across the country have told our Government that they want better information about recalled food and children's products, which is why we are proud to be launching this new Web site today," said Minister Clement. "For the first time we are combining databases from different government departments to allow parents to easily search the information they need on recalled food and children's products."
"When Canadians hear rumours about problems with food or product safety, they want the real facts fast, and don't want to search different Web sites to get the information," said Minister Ritz. "With the launch of this new Web site, Canadian families will now know where to turn in situations such as children's toys being reported as unsafe, or when there's food-related issue like salmonella."
"The issue of food and toy recalls have affected families across Canada," said Secretary of State Paradis. "Canadians have the right to expect their government to take every step necessary to ensure their safety and today we taking action."
In the Speech from the Throne on October 16, 2007, the Government of Canada committed to introduce measures on food and product safety to ensure that families have confidence in the quality and safety of what they buy.
Consumers with health or safety concerns about a particular consumer product are advised to contact the Health Canada Product Safety office by phone at 1-866-662-0666 (toll-free) or email at cps_spc@hc-sc.gc.ca.
Consumers can also receive updates on consumer advisories and consumer product recalls by subscribing to Health Canada's Consumer Product Safety News listserve at www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.
For information on food recalls and allergy alerts, consumers can call the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday). To receive information on food recalls or allergy alert notices by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit the CFIA web site at www.inspection.gc.ca/recalls.
-30-
Media Enquiries:
Joey Rathwell
Health Canada
(613) 957-2988
Laryssa Waler
Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200
Media Relations
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(613) 228-6682
Patrick McCloskey
Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(613) 759-1199
Health Canada Public Enquiries:
(613) 957-2991
1-866 225-0709
CFIA Public Enquiries:
1-800 422-2342
