www.option-consommateurs.org/en/ making consumers the focus of public product safety policy...

www.option-consommateurs.org/en/

Making consumers the focus of public product safety policy

Perspectives from a consumers’ association presented to ICPHSO 6th International

meetingToronto (Ontario)

October 28th, 2009


Introduction

Introduction to Option consommateurs

Background on its work in product safety

Work methods Case study Consumer issues on product safety Challenges and expectations Conclusion


Option consommateurs (1)

Mission: To promote and defend the rights and interests of consumers and ensure they are respected.

Clientele: We serve all consumers in vulnerable situations, with particular attention given to those who are more socio-economically disadvantaged. We work on issues that involve Quebec and Canadian policy equally.

History: Option consommateurs was founded in 1983. It is a product of the family economy cooperative movement (associations coopératives d’économie familiale or ACEF) and particularly the ACEF de Montréal. Ottawa office in Sept. 2008.


Option consommateurs (2)

Team: About 30 professionals (lawyers, budget counsellors, analysts, journalists, etc.)

Five services: Budget service (individual consultation, microcredit, information sessions), Energy efficiency service, (home visits, information sessions), Legal service (legal information and class action), News agency service (informative articles, buying guides, surveys), and Research and representation service (participation on committees, work groups, parliamentary commissions and standing committees, and research and awareness projects).

Expertise: financial services, energy, access to justice, commercial practices, debt, privacy protection, standards, health, and food


Background on our work in product safety

First involvement in the health sector: breast prostheses

Annual Toy Guide with Protégez-Vous magazine since 1997

Research projects on the safety of noise-making toys

Member of SCC’ CPIC Answering media inquiries on product safety

(toy for example) Participation in the parliamentary process

leading to the adoption of Bill C-6 on the safety of consumer products


Work methods

Research Special projects Representation at consultations and

in legislative, regulatory and standardization processes

Media relations


Case study (1)

Noisy Toy Safety (2004-2005)

Based on research project « Safety of Noisy Toys: A Current Assessment »

Review of the litterature on noise and its impact on children

Noise levels mesurement of 40 toys in laboratory, following Health Canada standards

Noise levels measurement of a sample in two daycare centres

Assessment of the quality of the information on 350 sound-producing toy packages sold in Quebec

Evaluation of 40 toys in families and survey


Case study (2)

Representation

Creation of the National Coalition on Noisy Toys (september 2004)

Members: Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (CASLPA), Canadian Academy of Audiology, Canadian Hearing Foundation, Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres (NSHSC) et Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec

Observator : Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ)


Case study (3)

Purpose of the Coalition

To raise public awareness on the potential risks of noisy toys

To provide preventive measures and guidelines to the general public on noisy toys

To promote the formation of a stakeholders group of interested parties to revisit the current laws as they relat to noisy toys and their measurement

Monitor international standards related to noise produce by toys


Case study (4)

Action plan

Public launch of research results in press conference and nation-wide awareness campaign

Letters to provincial and federal health ministers Letters to academics in audiology and speech-

language pathology Participation to the international standard

process Meeting with Health Canada’ Consumer

Product Safety Bureau


Case study (5)

Impact

Important media coverage in Quebec and Canada (8 articles in newspapers (G&B and Toronto Star); televised appearance on national networks of CTV and Global

Creation of a poster by student in audiology Reactivation of the canadian advisory

committee of ISO 181 on toy safety (CAC/ISO/TC/181)


Case study (6)

Facilitating factors (+) and Difficulties(-)

(+) funding for research(+) interest and great involvement of partners(-) lack of ressources for the management of the Coalition(-) difficulties to find scientifics data on the impact of

noise on children (very new research domain)(-) misunderstanding of Health Canada’ Consumer

Product Safety Bureau organisational culture (-) communication gap between Health Canada’

Consumer Product Safety Bureau and members of the Coalition


Case study (7)

Conclusions

As civil society representatives, we can play a role in defining the issue, collecting the information, assessing options and policy development, supporting the implementation and communication of public policies

By our work, we can also play a role on the topicality of issues (media and membership)


Consumers’ Issues on product safety

Toy regulations Proactive disclosure Incident notifications Recall policy


Challenges

External Literacy level of Canadians, and deluge of

information Production chain outside Canada Lack of redress mechanism

Pertaining to consumers groups Lack of and imbalance in resources

available to government, industry and consumer representatives

Poor public administration knowledge


Expectations

Communication channels (at all levels of the public participation continuum)

Invitation to consultations at the optimum time

Implementation of a contribution program to improve expertise among consumer and user groups

Establishment of specific advisory committees – in priority areas – and with the required resources


Thank you!

Question ?

Geneviève ReedHeadResearch and Representation [email protected]

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