Bill C-13: Assisted Human Reproduction Act

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Letter to 3 contenders for Liberal party nomination re: Bill C-13
by Abby Lippman, PhD -- Professor, McGill University, & Co-Chair, Canadian Women's Health Network

Letter to the Editor: Bill C-13 Long Overdue
by Kathleen O'Grady, Director of Communications, Canadian Women's Health Network, and
Abby Lippman, PhD, Prof. of Epidemiology, McGill University & Co-Chair, Canadian Women's Health Network

Letters to MPs re: Bill C-13

Take Action on Bill C-13

The adjournment of Parliament before Bill C-13 was brought to 3rd vote has angered and deeply disappointed those of us who have been working hard to get this legislation passed. The women of this country need legislation that would provide an ethical and regulatory framework for reproductive technologies to protect their health and safety -- as well as that of the children they bear. Failing to bring C-13 to a vote before adjournment has done a disservice to all Canadians.

I have been working on this issue for over 15 years, individually and with others in broad-based coalitions. I was part of the women's group that called for a Royal Commission; I was later a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Reproductive and Genetic Technologies. I resigned from the latter in 2000 to publicly register my dismay at the extensive and continued delays in passing legislation; remember C-47? C-56? Little did I think I would, three years later, still be writing to protest the same inaction by the government, this time centred on C-13.

Bill C-13 is not perfect; no legislation in this area could ever be. And I have formally registered my concerns about it in testimony given to the Standing Committee on Health on at least two occasions and in other public fora. However, I have actively supported and advocated for Bill C-13 because it would at least begin to provide controls in an area still completely unregulated, an area in which commercial forces and clinical cowboys increasingly rule. C-13 is an important first step to prohibit activities and practices that distress all; it would limit, if not prevent, commodification of eggs and sperm; commercialization of reproduction; unfettered manipulations of reproductive material; etc. C-13 begins to put policies and procedures in place that will protect women's and children's health, and not leave these to market forces and uncontrolled experimentation.

The Liberal party has seriously disappointed the women of this country by its failure to bring Bill C-13 to a vote before adjournment. You cannot blame the opposition parties, no matter that they did not rally around C-13, since it was YOUR party that failed to call a vote. You are responsible for this refusal to heed the voices of women's health advocates.

Ms. Copps, Mr. Manley, and Mr. Martin: you are the three contenders for leadership of the Liberal party. You have the power to move this legislation forward.

I join all those who are calling on you to show leadership, to commit to getting C-13 voted on favorably as soon as Parliament resumes in September. We count on you to commit both as individuals and as potential leaders of your colleagues. And we will be watching to see what you do.

Sincerely,
Abby Lippman, PhD
Professor, McGill University, and
Co-Chair, Canadian Women's Health Network

Dear Editor,

News coverage shows that Bill C-13, The Assisted Human Reproduction Act, is awaiting a 3rd reading in Parliament, but media reports this week suggest that the Bill may not come to a vote before the House rises for the summer break. If true, this will be a further, and inexcusable, set-back for women's and children's health. It is essential for the health of women and children that Bill C-13 pass.

News coverage shows that Bill C-13, The Assisted Human Reproduction Act, is awaiting a 3rd reading in Parliament, but media reports this week suggest that the Bill may not come to a vote before the House rises for the summer break. If true, this will be a further, and inexcusable, set-back for women's and children's health. It is essential for the health of women and children that Bill C-13 pass.

The Canadian Women's Health Network, and the individual women and women's groups we represent, have worked hard for years to get legislation to ensure that practices repugnant to Canadians are prohibited, and that procedures used to treat infertility are managed to ensure their safety and efficacy. Bill C-13 is a long overdue step in this direction.

Bill C-13 prohibits human cloning, payment for egg and sperm donors and payment for surrogacy arrangements; the bill would also establish a regulatory agency to monitor the ways in which scientists and clinicians use human reproductive materials.

It is essential that Bill C-13 be passed now. This bill sets out principles and procedures that can begin to bring some control on processes that are commercializing human reproduction, processes now almost completely unregulated.

Canadians have been waiting more than fifteen years for this legislation; and it has already been more than ten years since a Royal Commission recommended that such controls be put in place. Indeed, public polling data have shown that many Canadians actually believe that legislation is already in place, given the sensitivities of the issues with which this legislation deals.

Passage of Bill C-13 is urgent. If MPs fail to take this necessary first step to protect the wellbeing of children and women, to avoid commercialization of human reproduction, to prohibit practices generally condemned worldwide, and to create an agency that will provide transparent and conflict-of-interest free regulation of reproductive technologies, they will have failed in their responsibilities to Canadian citizens.

We fear it is "now or never," and we have waited long enough.

Sincerely,

Kathleen O'Grady
Director of Communications
Canadian Women's Health Network
http://www.cwhn.ca
news@cwhn.ca (514) 886-2526

and Abby Lippman, PhD
Prof. of Epidemiology, McGill University
and Co-Chair, Canadian Women's Health Network
Montréal, Québec

RE: Bill C-13: The Assisted Human Reproduction Act

Dear Member of Parliament,

This letter is to express our support for Bill C-13, The Assisted Human Reproduction Act, and to urge you to vote in favor of this legislation when it comes up for Third Reading. The Canadian Women's Health Network, and the individual women and women's groups we represent, have long worked toward legislation to ensure that practices repugnant to Canadians are prohibited, and that procedures used to treat infertility are managed to ensure their safety and efficacy. Bill C-13 is a long overdue step in this direction. Canadians have been waiting for over fifteen years for this legislation. Indeed, public polling data have shown that many Canadians actually believe that legislation is already in place, given the sensitivities of the issues with which this legislation deals.

We feel that it is essential that C-13 be passed. This bill sets out principles and procedures that can begin to bring some control on processes currently being carried out without any regulation.

We will not spell out in detail our analysis of Bill C-13; we have already done this in presentations to the Standing Committee on Health on several occasions. What we emphasize here is the urgent need to act, to pass this legislation. To fail to take this necessary step that will protect the well-being of children, avoid commercialization of human reproduction, prohibit practices generally condemned worldwide, and create an agency essential for the transparent and conflict-of-interest free regulation of reproductive technologies is to fail in your responsibilities to the women and children of Canada.

It is critical for the health of women and children that Bill C-13 pass. We fear it is "now or never," and we have waited long enough. We count on you to vote in its favor. If we can be of any further assistance in your consideration of the bill, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

[sent by email]

Abby Lippman, PhD
Co-Chair

c.c. Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Health
Rt. Honourable Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister
Madeline Boscoe, Executive Director, Canadian Women's Health Network

------------------

Jennings, Marlene Jennings, MP, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce — Lachine
email: jennings.m@parl.gc.ca

Hon. Lucienne Robillard, Liberal MP Westmount — Ville-Marie
email: robillard.l@parl.gc.ca

Chères Mme Jennings; Chère Mme Robillard

I have just learned that there is a good chance Bill C-13 will not come to a vote before Parliament rises for a summer break. I am writing to you to add my voice to those of others in the women's health communities in Montreal, in Quebec, and in Canada, who feel that passage of this legislation is urgent. C-13 must not be allowed to die again, and I hope you can pressure Mr. Boudria to put it on the agenda.

As well, this letter is to urge you to vote in favor of Bill C-13, The Assisted Human Reproduction Act, when it comes up for Third Reading. The Canadian Women’s Health Network, and the individual women and women's groups we represent, have long worked toward legislation to ensure that practices repugnant to Canadians are prohibited, and that procedures used to treat infertility are managed to ensure their safety and efficacy. Bill C-13 is a long overdue step in this direction. Canadians have been waiting for over fifteen years for this legislation. Indeed, public polling data have shown that many Canadians actually believe that legislation is already in place, given the sensitivities of the issues with which this legislation deals.

We feel that it is essential that C-13 be passed. This bill sets out principles and procedures that can begin to bring some control on processes currently being carried out without any regulation.

I will not spell out in detail my analysis of Bill C-13; I have already done this in presentations to the Standing Committee on Health on several occasions. What we emphasize here is the urgent need to act, to pass this legislation. To fail to take this necessary step that will protect the wellbeing of children, avoid commercialization of human reproduction, prohibit practices generally condemned worldwide, and create an agency essential for the transparent and conflict-of-interest free regulation of reproductive technologies is to fail in your responsibilities to the women and children of Canada.

It is critical for the health of women and children that Bill C-13 pass. We fear it is “now or never," and we have waited long enough. We count on you to vote in its favor. As well, we count on you to ensure it actually comes to a vote THIS MONTH, before the summer break. If I can be of any further assistance in your consideration of the bill, please don’t hesitate to contact me (514-###-####). number removed

Sincerely,
Abby Lippman, PhD
Co-Chair, Canadian Women's Health Network, and
former member of the Federal Advisory Committee on NRTs

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Page last updated June 26, 2003