Angry in the Great White North

News from Australia about deadly toys:

Tens of thousands of unsafe and banned toys are flooding into novelty stores and markets in Victoria, endangering children and frustrating both regulators and the local toy industry.

Most of the toys, which include guns that shoot darts and yo-yo-type toys that can strangle infants, are imported from China by small businesses operated predominantly by Asian couples.

Victoria's Consumer Affairs has seized toys that can cause serious eye injuries, pose choking hazards, or even kill in the case of imitation dummies. In 2004 Supreme Court judge Julie Dodds-Streeton found the supply of toys by importer and wholesaler SJS Imports Pty Ltd had "the potential to inflict horrendous physical injuries on the community, including its youngest and most vulnerable members".

The problem has been going on for years. SJS Imports was importing some nasty stuff:

CONSUMER AFFAIRS VICTORIA INSTITUTES SUPREME COURT PROCEEDINGS IN PRODUCT SAFETY MATTER

Dr David Cousins, Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria, has instituted proceedings in the Supreme Court of Victoria against SJS Imports Pty Ltd, its Managing Director Mr Hu Sheng Xie and a former Director Ms Jen Yung Wang, alleging the company supplied banned toy products and disposable cigarette lighters contrary to prescribed safety standards.

The Director of CAV alleges that SJS Imports has supplied:

• Toy gun set products known as 'Protector Riot Gun Item No.008' which do not comply with a permanent ban order in that the suction tip darts of the product cause a choking hazard.
• Toy gun set products known as 'Electric Shooting Box Lucky Star' and a toy military action figurine with toy missile launcher set product known as 'Power Steel Super Action' contrary to a permanent ban order in that the projectile discharged from the projectile toy in the sets presents a risk of causing serious eye injuries.
• Toy products known as 'Yo Yo Water Balls' contrary to a permanent ban order in that the balls or shapes are connected by a stretchable or elasticised cord which presents a risk of strangulation.
• Disposable cigarette lighters where the flame was too high, surged and spluttered and did not extinguish within 2 seconds of releasing the control mechanism; and which were overfilled with butane; structurally unsafe and did not have the required mandatory warnings and labelling contrary to a prescribed safety standard thereby causing a serious risk of burn injuries.

Kids have died as a result of these toys.

Consider the Yo-Yo Water Ball.

Not only banned in Australia, it was banned in Canada too, back in 2003:

To: Importers, Distributors, Retailers
Immediate Prohibition of Yo-yo Type Balls and Similar Products

The purpose of this letter is to advise you that effective immediately yo-yo type balls and similar products are prohibited from advertising, sale or importation in Canada.

Yo-yo type balls and similar products are made of a soft, extremely pliable plastic. They consist of a short, but highly stretchable, plastic cord that has a liquid-filled ball-like object at one end and a finger loop at the other (see photos). The toy comes in many colours and designs, for example, spiked ball, eyeball, happy face, sport ball, insect and flashing. The toy is marketed as: "yo-ball", "yo-yo water ball", "yo-yo meteoric ball", "flashing yo-yo ball", etc.

On May 13, 2003, Health Canada issued a trade advisory to inform importers, distributors and retailers of the strangulation hazard to children posed by yo-yo type balls and similar products. At that time Health Canada requested that the product be removed from the Canadian market.

So if that's the case, is Canada facing the same problem as Australia, in which illegal toys are still being imported and sold?

Sure looks like it. Consider PartyStarter Inc in Quebec:

PartyStarter Inc.
5446 Cote-de-Liesse
Montreal, Quebec
Canada
H4P 1A5

From their catalog:

Water-ball Yo-Yo
One of the hottest sellers on the market!
This yo-yo is made of a water filled gel ball.

Reference ID: 10104
Item Code: YO001
Price: US $8.49 (CA $9.99)
Qty/Pack: 12
Details: Cool item!

Cool item? Illegal item!

PartyStarters is part of Global Entertainment in Montreal:

Based in Montreal, Global is a leading provider of high-quality, innovative, and creative entertainment services for the private and corporate markets.

Please feel free to browse our site. In it you'll find descriptions and pictures of much of what we have to offer, including DJ services, themes & decor, sound, lighting, interactive games, and live party animation.

When you're done, tell us what you think. At Global, we are committed to sharing our expertise with you.

It is run by Oliver Friedman:

President-CEO... Oliver is the founder and driving force being Global Entertainment's success. A retired dj himself, Oliver's vision, perseverence, and creative personality put him to the top of Montreal's entertainment industry.

Just trying to help Health Canada out. You know, should they decide to start asking some questions.