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CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 145 Ï NUMBER 145 Ï 3rd SESSION Ï 40th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, March 21, 2011 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 8983 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, March 21, 2011 The House met at 11 a.m. 39th Parliament, which ended before he had the opportunity to bring it forward for debate. He and his staff have been most helpful throughout this process. Prayers Anaphylaxis describes the most severe form of allergic reaction. An anaphylactic episode is rapid in onset and, without immediate medical treatment, can sometimes lead to death. While the most PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS common cause of these reactions is the ingestion of or contact with certain foods, they can also be caused by insect stings, medicine or Ï (1105) even something as simple as contact with latex. [English] An estimated 1.3 million Canadians suffer or are affected with this ANAPHYLAXIS condition, and that number continues to rise. Most of us know Mr. Dean Allison (Niagara West—Glanbrook, CPC) moved: someone whose life has been affected by anaphylaxis. It is for these That, in the opinion of the House, anaphylaxis is a serious concern for an increasing people that this motion is being brought forward. number of Canadians and the government should take the appropriate measures necessary to ensure these Canadians are able to maintain a high quality of life. It is for Carmen, whose daughter, Caitlin, has already been He said: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank a number of individuals diagnosed with anaphylaxis and who has now been told that another who have been behind the scenes working hard on this: Cindy daughter, Caroline, must wait eight months before being tested after Paskey, Chris George and Debbie Bruce from my area of the having a horrifying episode while the family was dining out at a country. I know this is an initiative that has been worked on across restaurant. the country but I want thank the people from NASK, which is in the Niagara region, for being such huge proponents behind the scenes It is for Susan and her five-year-old son, Lucas, who she describes and working so hard and tirelessly on behalf of this issue. It is an as her most loyal friend. Susan actually worries more about the milk important issue and they have done a great job. allergy that afflicts Lucas than she does his potentially fatal congenital heart defect that he also has been diagnosed with. It is a great honour to begin debate on my motion on anaphylaxis, which reads: It is also for Chris and his family who take their vacations by car That, in the opinion of the House, anaphylaxis is a serious concern rather than a plane so as to feel safer about avoiding a food allergy for an increasing number of Canadians and the government should reaction that could prove deadly for seven-year-old David. take the appropriate measures necessary to ensure these Canadians are able to maintain a high quality of life. How can bringing forward such a motion and passing this motion help these and other families living with anaphylaxis? Perhaps my I must admit that I have been overwhelmed by the public reaction greatest goal with this motion is to increase awareness. Education to this motion since it was added to the order paper back in June tends to lead to more consideration from those who do not suffer 2010. I have received an enormous amount of emails and phone calls toward those who do. I think about how it is now becoming common and have had many people come up to me and thank me for bringing to be asked whether one has food allergies when being invited to this very important issue forward for debate. weddings and other public events,and even smaller dinner parties with new friends. This would have seemed very strange 10 or 20 I have also been very encouraged by the support I have received years ago, but as food allergy organizations have increasingly from my hon. colleagues from across party lines who have voiced educated the public, we are seeing this type of consideration become their support for this motion. I thank all parliamentarians who have more commonplace. spoken or written to me and all of those who took the time out of their busy schedules to attend the information luncheon I hosted back in December of last year. As the general public learns more about the grave dangers facing anaphylaxis sufferers, they can take and are taking more precautions I would especially like to thank the hon. member from St. in their daily lives, reducing that burden that, until recently, tended to Catharines who first introduced a motion on anaphylaxis back in the lie solely with the affected person and their families. 8984 COMMONS DEBATES March 21, 2011 Private Members' Business Thoughtful Canadians are now asking about allergies before and sulphites by name in the products that they sell. This can either cooking meals for dinner guests. They are now packing lunches for be in the list of ingredients or at the end of the list of ingredients their children that avoid some of the most common allergens. They using the word “contains”. are using more discretion in the snacks they choose to eat in public places where they might be sitting too close to someone with severe food allergies. This is very important in places like sports stadiums and classrooms but even more so on a plane or train where medical assistance may not be readily available should an anaphylactic attack The regulations will also require that food allergens, gluten occur. This type of consideration by non-allergy sufferers is sources and sulphites that are sub-ingredients of food be declared on becoming more commonplace and it is hoped that through greater the product label. For example, if a bag of potato chips uses casein in awareness this level of thoughtfulness will only continue to increase. its seasonings, milk will be required to be declared in the list of ingredients. The mention of milk can appear in brackets after the Ï (1110) seasoning declaration in the list of ingredients or in the “contains” To understand why this awareness and consideration is so highly statement. Once these new regulations are fully implemented by sought by the anaphylaxis community, one must consider the fears August 2012, consumers with food allergies will benefit greatly by that a parent of an affected child has on a daily basis. Let us imagine being able to more easily avoid foods that contain their specific and a father or mother who has seen first-hand their child having a life- potentially deadly allergens. threatening attack where, within minutes, their face and neck have swollen to become almost unrecognizable and the child struggles just to breathe. Let us imagine that each day when the child goes to school the However, more can be done, and going forward there are five key parent is left worrying whether that child will unknowingly come areas where stakeholders have asked the federal government to into contact with the trigger that could cause a similar reaction. It consider further action: One, initiating awareness campaigns; two, could be something as simple and innocent as another child sharing a greater federal coordination on anaphylaxis matters; three, a long- snack that could cause a life or death situation. These very real and term commitment to research; four, improved transportation safe- terrifying fears of a parent can never go away, but collective steps guards; and five, improved allergen labelling. can be taken to help ease them considerably. I have spoken with constituents who have a great deal more comfort because their child is in a school that has made it a priority I have already talked about why awareness is so important to the to provide as safe an environment as possible. Food programs have cause and certainly a nationally coordinated information campaign been altered and alternative solutions found, making it less likely will go a long way toward educating Canadians. However, this that children with food allergies will encounter their forbidden recommendation is also important as there needs to be greater levels substance. While not all schools have been so accommodating, I of knowledge and understanding among health care providers. believe that as awareness increases so too will the level of consideration and mutual level of respect that leads to the discovery of solutions agreeable to everyone. Of course, such an outcome is more important at the schools level Health Canada can and should play a key role in providing because 80% of children with anaphylaxis do not outgrow their accurate and targeted information to groups such as medical condition. It is hoped that it might eventually become more professionals, first aid and emergency training providers, child care commonplace to see this dialogue and mutual respect, leading to workers, food service providers and to those who work in the protective measures throughout Canadian society. hospitality industry. Consideration should also be given to establish- While raising awareness is a key motive for bringing forward this ing awareness initiatives for publicly regulated workplaces and motion, it is also hoped that the passage of it will encourage further public transportation vehicles, as well as public facilities. federal government action with measures designed to increase protection for those Canadians living with anaphylaxis. However, before talking about what can be done, it is important to underline what has been done. With the announcement of the 2007 Greater federal coordination is not only important in an awareness food and consumer safety action plan, our government signalled an campaign but also to the programs and services that deal with ongoing commitment to develop policies and standards in support of distribution of information regarding anaphylaxis and food allergy these issues.

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