In 2011, Denmark introduced one of the world’s first “fat taxes.” The result? It was abolished 13 months later. One study found that 48 per cent of Danes resorted to cross-border grocery shopping to avoid the punitive taxes, costing the local economy $1.8 billion.

In fact, German grocery stores were the biggest beneficiaries of the Danish fat tax, sending flyers proclaiming “No fat tax here!” to households across Denmark. The tax was also difficult to implement; taking two years of bureaucratic wrangling until the tax could actually be put in place.

We know a disproportionate amount of unhealthy food is consumed by low-income individuals — single mothers grabbing a quick, cheap meal as they run between jobs. The last thing these folks need is more money taken out of their pockets, leaving less to spend on fruits, vegetables, and recreational activities.

The policies described by Millar would not lead to a healthier country, but instead to higher food prices and a healthy expansion of government bureaucracy. Good intentions often lead to bad policy. In this case they would not lead to slimmer waistlines in Canada, only thinner wallets.