The Child Health Protection Act : advocacy must continue

In 2015, Canada's prime minister mandated the federal minister of health to restrict commercial marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children. In early 2016, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology recommended a ban on the advertising of food and beverages to children in their report, Obesity in Canada. Shortly thereafter, Bill S-228 (the Child Health Protection Act) was introduced with the aim to restrict the marketing of food and beverage products high in salt, saturated fat and sugar to children aged 12 years and younger. The bill was thoroughly debated, reviewed and unanimously passed by the Senate in 2017. It was amended and passed by the House of Commons in September 2018 and sent back to the Senate for its vote to concur with the amendments, following which it would become law. However, it failed to pass. The work to craft an effective bill to protect Canadian children from the marketing of junk food and beverages is complete.