SAVING CONSTITUTION

Next month, for three weeks only, Truehope Nutritional Support takes Health Canada and the Minister of Health to Court.

CNHC supports this as a campaign because it is about taking action; not more words on paper.

The time has come for the Natural Health Community to stand together and support what might possibly be one of the most important cases to date in the Health Freedom movement.

This is a legal challenge that is not about making amendments, but is about marrying the rights and freedoms in our constitution, the law, and in Health Canada’s actions.

FEET TO THE FIRE

For most of us, the idea that we need to pay close attention to what our governments are doing is new and unsettling. However, gone are the days where we can assume that governments will protect our fundamental rights. Indeed, in Canada most citizens sat idly by as the House of Commons recently voted to strip us of some of our most precious rights (read Bill C-6). Not everyone is sitting idly by now.

On November 2, in Calgary, Truehope will be asking the Federal Court to declare Health Canada’s seizure power to be unconstitutional. In 2003, Health Canada seized a shipment of EMpowerplus and began taking other steps to take the product away from Canadians. Thousands of Canadians depended on this mineral and vitamin formula for their very lives. Despite clear communications that people needed these nutrients, including the Alberta Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association publicly blaming Health Canada for suicides, Health Canada officials continued to take EMpowerplus away.

The news of harm and suicides was ignored. Calls to Health Canada pleading for access to the product were ignored and Canadians suffered.

Canada’s Federal Court will be asked to declare that it is unconstitutional for the state to take vital health products away without: (1) taking the risk of the seizures into account, and (2) affording the people who depend on the products an opportunity to be heard.

This will be the first time that a Court will be asked to determine what safeguards may be necessary for seizures of vital health products to comply with our constitutional right to life, liberty and security of the person.

Truehope Nutritional Support has given CNHC permission to post their Court Filing: Notice Of Constitutional Question

WE NEED YOU

TAKE ACTION: Take the time off work, if you can. Book your flight to Calgary today. Find a friend or associate to stay with. Have a group share the cost of a hotel room for a day, two or more! If you live or work in Calgary or the surrounding area, email us who you are and when you're coming. We’ll meet you there. We need everyone who needs, values, and wants to protect natural health products to take action. Come and fill the courtroom gallery and witness this high profile constitutional court challenge.

DEADLINE: Daily between November 2nd and the 20th 2009. 9:30 AM sharp every day.
Held at Federal Court 635 – 8th Street, S.W, 4rd Floor in the City of Calgary, Alberta.

METHOD: This kind of proceeding is called a Judicial Review. It will be in front of Justice Campbell. He, and he alone, will make the decision. Justice Campbell’s decision, one way or the other, will rock the industry. We need to fill at least 40 of the 150 + Federal Court house seats each and every day.

CAMPAIGN PROGRESS: The number of confirmed attendees continues to grow daily. Email us at info@cnhc.ca to let us know what days you will be there.

GOAL: The decision can potentially make sections of the former Bill C-51 (which will come back in another form) invalid. THAT is how important this is. The constitutional infringements we saw in Bill C-51 (and soon its successor) will be exposed for what they were; an affront to Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. With a win the indiscriminate seizure of products would radically slow. A win means that Health Canada will finally be held publically accountable for their actions and have our Charter of Rights and Freedoms remain protected. A clear and unequivocal precedent would be set that would serve to ensure safe, access to natural health products for people who depend on them for their very lives.

NOTE: This is an urgent campaign. Shawn Buckley, constitutional lawyer, was brought on as the Applicant’s (Truehope) legal council. Attending sends a clear message that this challenge is important to Canadians; and that the judges decision will impact every day Canadians in real and tangible ways.

So, CNHC urges those of you who have the means and time to travel to Calgary, to do so. If you're in the Calgary area, please participate. If you can’t go but know someone who would, please share this information.

If you are: an owner or manager of a health food store; a natural health product manufacturer; a distributor; a practitioner, natural health, constitutional rights activist or simply a concerned citizen who knows that your rights and freedoms are being eroded, be there.

It’s worth the time and effort as your very presence in the Courtroom will make an impact.

40 SEATS IN 14 DAYS

Shawn is working to win against 3 Federal Crown lawyers and a team of assistants. We're joining the court for our future but also to support the single lawyer who has been working against the odds to serve justice.

Truehope wants to hold Health Canada accountable for what they have done and what they plan to do as the Natural Health Product Regulations begin to tighten. When this case is won, a precedent will be set that could change natural product regulations forever.

CNHC asks you to show your support by attending Court, in person, to take a seat and stand up for your rights.

Campaign Manager: Julia Rickert // julia.r@cnhc.ca

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