CHFA’s Natural Health Products Awareness Day on the Hill 2011
CHFA leveraged established relationships on Parliament Hill to advocate on behalf of the natural health products (NHPs) industry. To promote the importance of the sector, CHFA hosted our second annual Natural Health Products Awareness Day on Tuesday, November 15. Throughout the day CHFA members and staff attended strategic meetings with MPs, distributed Educational Awareness Day kits, spoke at a CHFA press conference, hosted an evening reception and attended various media interviews. The purpose of these activities was to spread awareness of the industry’s concerns, share our key message that the time is now for Parliament to
create the new Natural Health Products Act and to educate MPs on the important role NHPs play in our economy and in the lives of millions of Canadians.
Press Conference
CHFA held a bilingual press conference in Center Block, in the morning on Parliament Hill. This presentation was an opportunity to spread awareness of the industry’s current concerns and provided information about Natural Health Products Awareness Day.
CHFA’s 10-minute appearance was broadcast live throughout each MP and Senator office and was viewed by Press Gallery bureaus. A bilingual press release was sent to every media outlet in Canada.
It was during the press conference that CHFA announced the Ipsos Reid Omnibus survey
results clearly indicating the public supports the creation of an Act specifically for NHPs, with seven in ten Canadians supporting this initiative.
Earlier that morning, CHFA President, Helen Sherrard appeared on
CTV Morning Live in Ottawa and was interviewed by
The National Post and the
Globe and Mail.
CHFA Reception supports MP engagement efforts
CHFA also hosted an evening reception in the Parliamentary Dining Room on Parliament Hill, which was attended by 32 MPs and Senators. All 15 member delegates and CHFA staff involved expressed satisfaction with the day’s events, the turn out for the reception, and the quality of robust conversations held.
We used this occasion to continue to promote our message of creating the new Natural Health Products Act.
Increasing NHPs Awareness Day visibility
Finally, in order to maximize opportunities during Natural Health Products Awareness Day, CHFA released a series of advertisements with the key message of creating the New Natural Health Product Act. Ads appeared in various places including The Hill Times newspaper,
The Hill Times online, the Ottawa Airport, and on Wellington Street in clear view of all government staffers and MPs.