Manitoba Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen has reported interim NDP Leader Flor Marcelino to Health Canada after she handed out a natural medicine to friends and strangers.

Earlier this week, Marcelino admitted to giving dried leaves of the guyabano plant (also known as graviola or soursop) to others and promoting it as a way to cure cancer.

She said she told people the leaves had cured cancer and other health conditions in people she knew.

According to Health Canada, guyabano is only authorized as a source of antioxidants and has no medicinal ingredients to treat cancer.

When the issue was made public, Marcelino said she would no longer give it away or promote it.

Now, Goertzen wants Health Canada to investigate Marcelino.

"There are regulations that involve the distribution of that particular product. We have regulations regarding naturopaths. So that's just the general issue for anybody has to follow," he said Thursday. "I think as legislators, we have a more specific and a higher standard that we should follow, and so I thought the right thing to do wasn't to ignore it but to send it to the right authorities."

Goertzen called Marcelino's behaviour "odd."

"I think it's important that nobody puts out any false pretense of a potential cure for someone," he said. "We wrote to the department that regulates that issue within Health Canada. I didn't suggest or make a legal argument … I'll let those who enforce this regulation decide what the appropriate punishment or sanction or caution should be."

If Marcelino's latest statement on the matter is any indication, there will be no punishment.

Marcelino responded Thursday by saying she has responded to Goertzen's letter, and a representative from Health Canada "affirmed that this was a common situation for products of cultural value to individuals and that my statement should resolve the matter."

Marcelino also said she understands Health Canada's regulations are "crucial to the health and safety" of Canadians.