Open Letter to Tony Clement

Dear Mr. Clement, During an all candidates’ meeting last month, I stated that in the entire 50 year history of Canada’s health food stores, there have been zero deaths from consuming products purchased in these stores. You took issue with this statement and stated publicly that you had to get involved because of deaths from consuming “toad venom”.

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Mr. Clement, toad venom has not now nor ever has been sold in Canadian health food stores. If you have documented proof to the contrary, kindly provide it now. If not, then I respectfully request that you issue a public apology for your misleading and defamatory statement. It is estimated that over 10,000 people in Canada die annually from side reactions to their prescription drugs, correctly prescribed and correctly administered. The Chief Economist of each province’s Health Ministry can provide these figures. You repeatedly stated during your campaign that Bill C-51 was vitally important to protect the public from harm from natural health products. Yet C-51 does not apply to prescription drugs. What is your Health Ministry doing to reduce deaths from pharmaceuticals? Yours most sincerely, David W. Rowland, Leader, Direct Democracy Federation

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