Guiding Principles for Dispute Resolution in Health Products and Food Branch

HPFB aims to make every effort to prevent disputes from arising and where they do arise, to address them as early and effectively as possible, and to resolve disputes in a fair and timely manner, using the most appropriate dispute resolution mechanism.

The HPFB approach to dispute resolution will be guided by the following principles.

• Fairness: Dispute resolution processes, based on the principles of natural justice, must be fair and be perceived to be fair. Processes must be transparent, timely, effective.
  
  
• Accountability: The processes and outcomes must be consistent with the law. Health and safety must not be compromised. Decisions should be evidence-based. Regular evaluations and assessments of the dispute resolution process and outcomes will be conducted.
  
  
• Accessibility: The processes must take into account the needs of diverse stakeholders. The dispute resolution processes will be based on clear procedures that are easy to understand. Information on these processes will be communicated to stakeholders to allow them to make informed choices about the most appropriate dispute resolution mechanisms available.