I've heard nothing but negative things about Health Canada from health critics such as Julie Elliott. The department really hasn't been proactive.
The difference between Health Canada and the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, in the U.S. is that the FDA has been much more proactive. That can partly be explained by the fact that the U.S. has more lawsuits to deal with. It's really important to do things the right way in order to avoid any ambiguity. However, the FDA should be criticized for its 2006 decision to allow the use of breast implants.
I don't have a good answer for you, but my sense is that Health Canada isn't doing its job.