e-2614 (Health)
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the Government of Canada
- The Canadian Cancer Society recommendations are for Canadians to avoid processed meats;
- Processed meat is considered to be any meat derived from the carcass of an animal which has been modified in order to either improve its taste or extend its shelf life;
- Methods of meat processing include adding salt, curing, fermentation, and smoking;
- Examples of processed meat include ham, sausage, hot dogs, pepperoni, hamburgers, beef jerky and deli meats, including roast beef, chicken, and turkey;
- Over 800 studies were evaluated by the IARC/WHO and the conclusions were primarily based on the evidence for colorectal cancer;
- Data also showed positive associations between processed meat consumption and bowel and stomach cancers;
- This demonstrated sufficient evidence that processed meats cause cancer and resulted in the classification of processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, on the same list as tobacco smoke and asbestos;
- Processed meats are served daily in prisons, schools, daycares, seniors' homes, businesses, restaurants, and grocery stores; and
- Many citizens are unaware and uninformed about the health risks they are taking when choosing processed meats.
Response by the Minister of Health
Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Jennifer O'Connell
Canada has a strong food safety program that helps to ensure that foods sold in Canada are safe to eat and that Canadians have the information they need to make healthy food choices. Health Canada bases its dietary guidance on high-quality scientific evidence on the relationships between food, nutrients and health.
The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and World Cancer Research Fund International have both made evaluations of processed meat. Their reports concluded that the totality of evidence is convincing that the consumption of processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer. These reports helped inform the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide, which, in accordance with this high-quality scientific evidence, recommends limiting highly processed foods, including processed meats.
- Open for signature
- June 1, 2020, at 12:03 p.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- August 30, 2020, at 12:03 p.m. (EDT)
- Presented to the House of Commons
-
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith
(Beaches—East York)
February 26, 2021 (Petition No. 432-00576) - Government response tabled
- April 12, 2021