Reaction to the report of the Standing Committee on Health: "Assisted Human Reproduction: Building Families"

Speaking Notes
for
Allan Rock
Minister of Health

Ottawa, Ontario
December 12, 2001

As delivered

Good afternoon.

I am here to offer my initial reaction to the report of the House Standing Committee on Health.

I want to start by thanking the members of the Committee - from all parties - for their work on this very complex, very emotional issue. I particularly want to acknowledge the Committee Chair, Bonnie Brown, for her skill and diligence over the last eight months.

I congratulate the Committee for its honest, non-partisan consideration of the issues. The process that the Committee embarked on last May is unprecedented and represents the best of the democratic process.

The Committee heard from hundreds of Canadians. The range of views expressed was as diverse as Canadian society.

The Committee was asked to look at a comprehensive framework to address the issues raised by assisted human reproduction. I am pleased that they provided valuable advice on each element of that framework.

This is important work. Together, we are building landmark legislation dealing with women's health and the emerging science of reproductive technologies.

There is a melding of ethical and scientific issues as Canadians grapple with the issues related to assisted human reproduction. Our challenge is to balance scientific advancement with human dignity. As I observed when I appeared before the Committee eight months ago, just because we can do something, does not mean we should.

And so, the ban on human cloning and the other prohibitions originally proposed in the draft legislation are supported by the Committee's Report.

However, where reproductive technologies offer hope for the rising number of infertile Canadians, there should be a regulatory framework that is transparent, safe and accountable. The Committee agrees.

We must remember that we are dealing with the most basic, shared human dream: the desire to have and raise a family. For Canadians for whom infertility is a barrier, the dream of a family is painfully elusive.

Our first concern is the safety of women and men undergoing fertility treatments and the children born of these procedures. I am particularly pleased with the priority that the Committee places on children. We want to ensure that infertile Canadians will know that the very treatments that give them hope are developed in a way that treats the creation of life with respect.

There are also many families in this country whose loved ones suffer from crippling illnesses or injuries. New medical advances offer hope for these families. Certainly, we must pursue with vigour scientific breakthroughs that promise to ease the suffering of so many. Certainly, we must pursue scientific breakthroughs for people with Parkinson's disease, spinal injuries or children suffering from juvenile diabetes. The Committee has wisely confirmed that limits be placed on embryonic stem cell research.

I will be particularly interested in reviewing the Committee's detailed recommendations on an independent governing body. International experience suggests that this is an effective model to ensure transparency and accountability. An independent body would also be able to monitor emerging medical advances and ensure that the health and safety of Canadians remains the highest priority.

Again, I would like to thank the Committee for their non-partisan approach to this draft legislation. Their work will ensure that the final legislation is balanced. Our task now is to create a clear, comprehensive and consistent legal framework to govern reproductive therapies and research.

As I said at the outset, my comments are only an initial reaction. A formal government response to the Committee's report will come in the New Year.