| |
SPP resources
SPP Summit - New Orleans
April 21-22, 2008
SPP Summit - Montebello
August 19-21, 2007
Teach-in
March 31 to April 1, 2007
|
|
 U.S. consumer advocate says no to new funds
October 30, 2007
Posted by Stuart Trew
According to the New York Times today, "The top official for consumer product safety [in the United States] has asked Congress in recent days to reject legislation that would strengthen the agency that polices thousands of consumer goods, from toys to tools."
Nancy A. Nord, the acting chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has asked U.S. lawmakers to block the approval of new funds, more staff members and a strengthened mandate for her agency. "Ms. Nord opposes provisions that would increase the maximum penalties for safety violations and make it easier for the government to make public reports of faulty products, protect industry whistleblowers and prosecute executives of companies that willfully violate laws," claims the Times article.
But why on earth would she do this?
According to the Times: "Ms. Nord's opposition to key elements of the legislation is consistent with the broadly deregulatory approach of the Bush administration. In a variety of areas, from antitrust to trucking and worker safety, officials appointed by President Bush have sought to reduce the role of regulation and government in the marketplace."
Ms. Nord, a former Eastman Kodak lawyer and Chamber of Commerce official, was even critical of provisions to ban lead from all toys!
Calls for increased consumer protection come after a summer of defective or hazardous toy shipments, mostly from western companies operating in China. The pressure was so strong that SPP leaders felt they had to address the issue at the leaders summit in Montebello at the end of August. Unfortunately, regulatory harmonization came out on top, which is bad news for Canadians, whose government has adopted the deregulatory flare of Bush and his cronies like Ms. Nord.
"The problems that are being experienced now I think all of us, including the Chinese leadership, would agree that as sovereign governments we have a responsibility to look after the health and safety of our citizens,'' said U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab after a NAFTA conference a week before the SPP leaders summit. "But we need to do so in a way that is both effective and does not become an excuse for protectionism.''
Or an excuse to protect children from lead? Please.
|
|
RSS feed. 
NACC
Workers
Water
Energy
Security & civil liberties
Military
Transportation corridors
