Latest news with #CanadianMedicalAssociation
Globe and Mail
15 hours ago
- General
- Globe and Mail
The legal fight over gender-affirming health care in Alberta
The Canadian Medical Association says that the Alberta government has created a 'moral crisis' for doctors in the province. The CMA, alongside three Alberta doctors, has filed a constitutional challenge against the Alberta government for legislation limiting access to medical treatment for transgender youth. Bill 26 became law last December, and is part of a suite of laws in Alberta that regulate access to health care, participation in sports and use of pronouns in schools for trans youth. Together, they form the most restrictive gender and sexuality laws in the country. Alanna Smith is a health reporter for The Globe. She joins the show to explain the law, the rationale of Danielle Smith's government, and why the applicants have filed their challenge. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@
Cision Canada
3 days ago
- Health
- Cision Canada
Canadian Medical Association welcomes Dr. Margot Burnell as new president Français
OTTAWA, ON, May 31, 2025 /CNW/ - New Brunswick's Dr. Margot Burnell is now the president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), following an installation ceremony at its annual general meeting today. An oncologist for more than three decades at the Saint John Regional Hospital, Dr. Burnell has seen the impact of a health system under pressure. During her address to physician-colleagues, Dr. Burnell emphasized her commitment to improve access to care as a core issue of her year-long mandate. She is also eager to advance Indigenous reconciliation in health care, strengthen Canada's health workforce, reduce physicians' paperwork and improve physician well-being. "Canadians deserve a health system that is there for them when they need it," she says. "I strongly believe that ideas and lived experience from patients, physicians and others at the front lines are critical to building a future for health care that Canadians can take pride in." The president of the CMA is elected by members from a different province or territory every year and speaks on behalf of Canada's physicians to policy-makers, partners, media and Canadians. With the start of Dr. Burnell's presidency, Dr. Joss Reimer of Winnipeg becomes the CMA's past president. Dr. Bolu Ogunyemi named CMA president-elect Dr. Bolu Ogunyemi became president-elect at today's AGM. Dr. Ogunyemi practises medical dermatology in St. John's, NL, and has maintained a visiting specialist clinic in Labrador City since 2018. In addition to numerous leadership roles at Memorial University of Newfoundland's Faculty of Medicine, including the inaugural Assistant Dean of Social Accountability (2020–23), he has served on the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association Board of Directors. About the CMA The Canadian Medical Association leads a national movement with physicians who believe in a better future of health. Our ambition is a sustainable, accessible health system where patients are partners, a culture of medicine that elevates equity, diversity and wellbeing, and supportive communities where everyone has the chance to be healthy. We drive change through advocacy, giving and knowledge sharing – guided by values of collaboration and inclusion. SOURCE Canadian Medical Association
Globe and Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Letters to the editor, May 30: ‘If the price of my house stabilizes or even falls, I'll be delighted'
Re 'Throne Speech pledge to find public-service savings alarms labour leaders' (May 28): Mark Carney was elected as Prime Minister in large part because of the perception he has the skills and experience to lead Canada through the difficult economic times ahead. Before the ink was even dry on the throne speech, some labour leaders have expressed concerns over his proposal to find savings in the public service. He hopes to balance the operating budget by cutting waste, capping the public service, ending duplication and deploying technology, all in an effort to improve productivity. There are no proposals for massive layoffs or indiscriminate firings, as we have witnessed with DOGE and Elon Musk to the south. All I can say is give Mark Carney some slack to come up with a successful overall economic strategy before condemning individual policies. Michael Gilman Toronto Re 'Canadian Medical Association to file legal challenge over Alberta law limiting access to treatment for transgender youth' (May 28): This is not the first time the Alberta government has interfered with the doctor-patient relationship. Several years ago, it directed what could or could not be prescribed to another vulnerable group: drug users. Had the Canadian Medical Association stepped in at that point, perhaps the United Conservative Party would have stopped there. But now: Which vulnerable group is next? Robyn Kalda Toronto Re 'To make housing more affordable, drop the tax hammer on real estate investors' (Report on Business, May 27): The housing crisis should have been seen as an example of expecting too much from the housing market. Markets rely on supply and demand to determine price. Those who need housing must be able to pay market price. This is how markets work, so why do we expect it to provide any form of housing to those who can't afford to buy or rent? Governments should accept that it is their responsibility to provide for basic needs beyond one's capacity to pay, through regulations and by devoting resources exclusively to non-market housing. There are a great many ways to successfully integrate public and co-operative housing into neighbourhoods. The private sector would build them all, and make profit doing so, but never collect rent or profit once built. Bill Jennings Kingston Houses as investments have made prices skyrocket. Tax breaks for these owners now feel like obscenities: We should end write-offs for mortgage interest and fully tax capital gains. Investors own roughly one-quarter of houses in Canada. They have been the keenest buyers, driving prices up and up and up. I am in my 70s and, like so many boomers, entered the housing market back when houses were reasonably priced. If the price of my house stabilizes or even falls, I'll be delighted. I want the next generation to have the opportunity I had to own a house. Houses should be for living in, not juicy investments. Jack Hanna Ottawa In the 41 years that I have owned my house, by my calculations, prices in my area have increased an average of about 6.5 per cent a year, while wage growth has averaged much less. Until those curves converge or, better still, cross, I don't understand how the problem will be solved. William Love Burlington, Ont. Re 'Corporate property owners fueling housing rent increases in Toronto' (Report on Business, May 21): The vast majority of Ontario rental units are subject to rent control, with rent increases tightly regulated. Recent reports – even from our members – show that rents in some areas, including the Greater Toronto Area, have begun to decrease, showing market forces at work: Supply and demand, not individual providers, set rental prices. While valid concerns about affordability are raised, it's vital to recognize the role all rental housing providers play in meeting demand for quality homes. Focusing solely on real estate investment trusts or institutional owners overlooks the broader reality: Market dynamics drive price fluctuations, not business models. Addressing affordability requires an all-hands-on-deck approach by all levels of government. Streamlining approvals, reducing costs and supporting investment will help bring more housing to market. Blaming professional housing providers distracts from the real, collective action needed for lasting solutions. Tony Irwin President and CEO, Rental Housing Canada; Toronto Re 'Public good' (Letters, May 22): A letter-writer advises that 'we who contribute gladly to medical training should have a significant role in dictating how doctors are paid.' One could substitute any number of professions here: lawyers, veterinarians, accountants, architects, engineers, to name a few. Members of these other professions have multiple options for remuneration in their careers. They may have private practices; they may bill government; they may work in either private industry or government for a salary; they may do contract work, etc. All of this liberty, despite the public purse funding a significant percentage of their education costs. Why single out the medical profession with this type of medieval criticism? Anyone who has received a postsecondary education in this country has benefited from government underwriting a significant percentage of that education. This idea is an extremely old chestnut, long past its best-before date, and should be put to bed. K. M. Peckan MD; Waterloo, Ont. Re 'Sir John A. Macdonald statue to be uncovered at Queen's Park, sparking new tensions with First Nations' (May 28): I was disappointed to see that some opponents of uncovering the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald are warning that further vandalizing or even toppling could follow. Those genuinely seeking reconciliation should recognize that it is a two-way street. Macdonald's faults have been acknowledged, but then so have his enormous achievements, not least his role in the creation of the country we love and enjoy today. Can we not find a way to have these perspectives peacefully co-exist? A wise poet once observed that 'to err is human, to forgive divine.' Scott James Toronto While, like all of us, Sir John A. Macdonald had his flaws, he was a great man and the founder of this fine country. Let us move resolutely from self-flagellation to taking pride in our history. Biff Matthews Toronto There is no doubt that Sir John A. Macdonald drank too much and his views of Indigenous people were at odds with today's opinions. Still, he is the father of our country and deserves perpetual recognition for that. If we need a police officer there 24/7, it would be worth it to see him again. A. P. Bell Toronto Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@
Globe and Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Globe and Mail
Alberta doctors' group supports CMA's constitutional challenge of bill limiting access to medical care for trans youth
The Alberta Medical Association, which advocates on behalf of thousands of local doctors, says it strongly supports its national counterpart in taking the provincial government to court over its transgender legislation. On Wednesday, the Canadian Medical Association filed a constitutional challenge in the Court of King's Bench of Alberta against Bill 26, which limits access to medical care for transgender youth. Three Alberta doctors, all of whom provide gender-affirming care, are co-applicants in the filing. The CMA contends that Bill 26, which became law last December, violates physicians' freedom of conscience as guaranteed in Section 2 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The organization says the bill undermines the principle of clinical autonomy and 'cuts at the core' of a physician's professional identity. 'This profound violation cannot be justified in a free and democratic society,' the application states. Shelley Duggan, president of the AMA, said in a statement released Wednesday that the provincial organization supports 'in the strongest terms' the legal action brought forward by the CMA. 'The CMA's review application addresses the moral distress of physicians who are being barred from delivering the evidence-based care that they are called to provide under both their code of ethics and the standard of care,' Dr. Duggan said. 'That distress is real. I hear it every day in many places.' The legislation bars doctors from prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapies for people under 16 and prohibits any gender-reassignment surgeries on minors (those under 18) – which are already performed rarely in Alberta. Heather Jenkins, press secretary to Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery, said in a statement Wednesday that the Alberta government will 'vigorously' defend its position in court. 'Bill 26 was introduced to protect and preserve children and youth from potentially irreversible decisions,' she said. This is the second legal action that has been taken against the Alberta government for Bill 26. Advocacy groups Egale Canada and Skipping Stone Foundation, together with families with gender-diverse children, filed a legal challenge last December that alleges the law violates several Charter-protected rights and contradicts Alberta's own Bill of Rights. Premier Danielle Smith has defended Bill 26 as necessary to protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could later regret. She has argued that the legislation strikes a balance between protecting children and upholding the rights of transgender people. Children's Healthcare Canada, in a statement Wednesday, also voiced support for the CMA's constitutional challenge. Jillian Demontigny, Jake Donaldson and Joseph Raiche, the Alberta doctors who are co-applicants with the CMA, said in their individual affidavits that this legislation has put them in an impossible position. They argue that they must now choose between compromising their ethical standards or breaking the law. Dr. Demontigny, in her affidavit, said restricting gender-affirming care for youth can cause suffering, including from gender dysphoria and gender incongruence. She said this type of care is vital and only provided after meaningful consultation. 'I cannot in good conscience abandon these patients,' she said. Dr. Raiche, in his affidavit, said he is 'profoundly troubled by the grave human cost' that the prohibitions will bring. 'Denying treatment and telling physicians that they are powerless to act is not a neutral posture,' he said. 'It is an affront to the dignity of patients whose dignity is already under daily attack by our society, and to the professional and ethical agency of doctors who care for them.' With a report from Kristy Kirkup in Ottawa
Global News
6 days ago
- Health
- Global News
Canadian doctors group challenging constitutionality of Alberta transgender law
A group representing Canada's doctors is challenging the constitutionality of Alberta's legislation limiting access to medical treatment for transgender youth, arguing it violates their Charter right to freedom of conscience. The Canadian Medical Association says the challenge, filed Wednesday in Alberta Court of King's Bench, is meant to protect the relationship between patients and doctors when it comes to making treatment decisions. 'This is a historic and unprecedented government intrusion into the physician-patient relationship and requires doctors to follow the law rather than clinical guidelines, the needs of patients and their own conscience,' the association said in a statement. The legislation was part of a trio of bills affecting transgender people that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government passed last year. 2:06 Alberta tables bills affecting transgender youth, student pronouns, sex education The association, which represents more than 75,000 physicians, is specifically challenging the bill that blocks doctors from prescribing hormone therapy and puberty blockers to children under 16 and bans gender reassignment surgeries for those under 18. Story continues below advertisement The other bills ban transgender women from competing in amateur women's sports and require children under 16 to have parental consent to change their names or pronouns at school. Smith has said the medical treatment legislation is necessary to protect children and ensure they don't make major decisions before they become adults. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Dr. Jake Donaldson, who is one of three Alberta-based doctors involved in the court challenge, said the law has put him and other doctors in a 'state of moral crisis.' 'It is encroaching upon sort of the autonomy of physicians and our ability to provide what we believe is best, and individualized, evidence-based care for patients,' the Calgary family doctor said in an interview. 'It forces me to sort of stand on the sidelines and refuse to provide care to patients who would otherwise, in all likelihood, significantly benefit from it.' Donaldson said he has roughly 40 young patients who receive the kinds of treatment the law outlaws, although a grandfather clause in the legislation means those patients aren't being cut off. 'From the standpoint of gender-affirming care, what we are able to do in the medical world is help people,' Donaldson said. 'There's good evidence behind what we're doing, (and) there are guidelines that we follow. Nobody's making decisions willy-nilly.' Story continues below advertisement Association president Dr. Joss Reimer said Donaldson isn't alone in being in a moral crisis as a result of the law. She said the association doesn't want to see physicians 'put in a position where they have to choose between following their ethical guidelines … following what their college expects of them, what the guidelines say, or following the law.' 'It's not unprecedented for the CMA to get involved in legal matters, but it was unprecedented for a bill in Canada to restrict the ability for physicians to offer advice to patients,' Reimer said. 4:22 Protests against Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's sweeping new transgender policy in Calgary, Edmonton Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery's press secretary Heather Jenkins said in an email that the government believes the bill will protect children from making 'irreversible decisions.' 'Alberta's government will vigorously defend our position in court,' Jenkins said. Story continues below advertisement The association isn't the first to challenge the constitutionality of Smith's legislation. In December, advocacy groups Egale Canada and the Skipping Stone Foundation, as well as five Alberta families, launched a Charter challenge against all three bills. They also filed for an injunction. Hearings for the injunction application took place in Calgary in March, but a judge has yet to make a ruling. A spokesperson for Egale said in a statement that it welcomes the medical group's challenge. 'No one benefits when governments insert themselves into the relationship between doctors and patients,' it said. Smith has previously said she thinks the three bills strike a fair balance and that the Charter allows for limits on rights. 'We have all kinds of restrictions on the ability of minors to make decisions. And we do that because we want to make sure that they are at full capacity to be able to make decisions that are going to be consequential to them,' the premier said in December. Smith said later that month that she would use the Charter's notwithstanding clause 'as a last resort' to override possible breaches to ensure the legislation is implemented.
