We call on the U.S. to follow Canada’s lead
Last week, we joined Canada’s Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, Ontario MP Adam van Koeverden, The Body Shop, Cosmetics Alliance Canada and other beauty industry and animal protection partners, to celebrate Canada’s official government announcement of ending cosmetic testing on animals.
Made official with the passing of the Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-47), Canada joins more than 40 countries worldwide that have enacted laws banning cosmetics testing on animals. In addition to banning cosmetics animal testing, the amendments in the Bill also prohibit the selling of cosmetics that rely on new animal testing data to establish the product’s safety, and false or misleading labelling pertaining to the testing of cosmetics on animals.
Minister Duclos said: “Protecting animals, now and in the future, is something that many Canadians have been calling for, and something we can all celebrate. We are proud to move forward with this measure, and to assure Canadians that the products they buy are cruelty-free. We will keep working with experts and international partners to explore safe, cruelty-free alternatives so no more animals suffer and die due to cosmetic testing.”
Monica Engebretson, our Head of Public Affairs North America, said: “Canada has surpassed the United States in taking federal action on this issue and I hope the United States follows Canada’s lead. It has brought industry, advocates, and government regulators all together for a common cause. You probably could not find an issue that brings together more voters across party lines, genders and generations than ending animal testing for cosmetics.”
Hilary Lloyd, VP of Marketing and CSR, The Body Shop North America, said: "This is a historic win for beauty lovers and animal rights activists. More importantly, it's a win for the animals who have been cruelly and unnecessarily subjected to painful experiments for the sake of products. Thank you to the Government of Canada and to all of our partners, we are proud to have led coalition discussions with Cosmetics Alliance Canada and Cruelty Free International which created the conditions for all of us to be here today. We did it. Canada is Forever Against Animal Testing!"
We also had an opportunity to ask Minister Duclos if he had any advice to offer decision makers in the United States given that Canada has now surpassed the U.S. in taking federal action on this issue.
He said: “It’s good for everyone… It’s good for consumers who want to have confidence in the products that they use, and most Canadians and, I would say, most Americans, value the fact that whatever we consume doesn’t have detrimental impacts on animals or the environment in general.”
He also noted that it is good for industry, and highlighted how The Body Shop and other companies know well that their customers want confidence that the products they buy are good for them as well as good for animals and the environment. He also pointed out that harmonized regulations are good for trade, saying: “The United States is our biggest neighbor and most important friend, so facilitating trade between the two countries is more easily done when we work on the same terms.”
You can help the United States catch up with Canada’s progress by calling your U.S. Senators and asking them to support the reintroduction of the Humane Cosmetics Act. This Act would harmonize restrictions on animal testing for cosmetics with Canada and match cruelty free cosmetics laws that have been passed by 10 U.S. states. You can find your US Senators and their contact information below.