Animal rights activists working closely with the Canadian government for several years, the Humane Society International/Canada, Animal Alliance Canada, Cruelty-Free International, Cosmetics Alliance Canada, Lush Cosmetics, and The Body Shop have advanced workable legislation to outlaw cosmetics animal testing in Canada. The coalition is happy that Canada will now join more than 40 countries and key markets that have already approved laws to stop or restrict the use of animals in the testing, production, or sale of cosmetics.
The group released the following comments alongside Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos:
The Canadian government's Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, stated: “Testing cosmetics on animals is both cruel and unnecessary. That is why we are proud to move forward on our promise to ban cosmetic animal testing and trade. Protecting animals now and in the future is something many Canadians have been advocating for and now, we can all be assured that cosmetics in Canada are cruelty-free, and we will continue to take all necessary measures to improve animal welfare.”
Humane Society International/Canada deputy director Michael Bernard said: “With the passage of these historic measures to ban cosmetics animal testing and trade, Canada is getting a cruelty-free makeover. We are so thrilled that our government has listened to the millions of Canadians who want the products they buy to be cruelty-free. This legislation truly shows the great things that can happen when government, industry, the non-profit sector, and the public work together to create a better future. Canadian consumers can finally rest assured that the cosmetics they purchase have not come as a result of animal suffering—and that is something we can all feel good about.”
Lush Cosmetics North America's Chief Ethics Officer, Brandi Halls, stated: “As a company that has been campaigning to bring animal testing for cosmetics to an end since our inception over 25 years ago, today we join all of the stakeholders in celebrating this important moment for the global movement. By heeding the call of people across Canada, Minister Duclos and Health Canada are putting Canada on the right side of history by banning this outdated practice. We're proud to have partnered with Humane Society International for over a decade and through customer responses to our in-shop campaigning, we know that the voice of the majority has been heard.”
With the passage of Bill C-47, Canada officially becomes the 44th country to pass laws to end or limit cosmetic animal testing and/or sales, joining the United Kingdom, the 27 member countries of the European Union, Norway, India, New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea, Switzerland, Iceland, Turkey, Australia, Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil.