Ottawa, ON – Today, the Hon. Michelle Rempel Garner, Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, Eric Duncan, Conservative MP for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, and Bernard Généreux, Conservative MP for Montmagny—L’Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, called on Health Minister Patty Hajdu to end the blood ban immediately.
In 2015, Justin Trudeau promised to end the blood ban and during the past six years, he has failed to follow through on that promise. In an effort to spur action on this important issue, Conservatives sent a draft order to the Health Minister which can begin the process of ending the ban.
The letter to the minister, and the draft order, can be viewed here.
“There is no reason to allow the blood ban to continue. It perpetuates negative stigmas which in turn cultivate discrimination against the LBGTQ2+ community. The federal government cannot be allowed to skate by on thin talking points suggesting that they can’t make the change, or that they can somehow throw money at the problem and fix it. There are no more plausible excuses for their lack of action outside of a comfort with allowing this homophobic practice to continue. We are committed to finding a solution to this issue. The Liberals should be too.”
The Hon. Michelle Rempel Garner
Conservative Shadow Minister for Health
“There’s absolutely no good reason why the Liberals continue to break their promise they made six years ago. Conservatives, the medical community, and numerous LGBTQ2+ organizations have provided a real, common-sense, safe solution to end the discrimination immediately. Instead, the government chooses to take gay men to court to silence their voices and delay action.
“With this year’s Pride Month not taking its usual form again this year, the time for talk and feel-good statements is over. It’s time for the Liberal government to take action, keep their word, and finally end the discriminatory and homophobic gay blood ban.”
Eric Duncan
MP for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry
“The Trudeau Liberals make plenty of promises when they need the votes of Canadians. But when it comes to delivering on those promises, they continuously fall short. It’s past time that Justin Trudeau did the right thing, stopped discriminating against the sexual orientation of people, and ensured that all Canadiens can safely give blood – without stigma”.
Bernard Généreux
MP for Montmagny—L’Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup
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For more information:
Office of Michelle Rempel Garner, P.C., M.P.
Michelle.Rempel.A1@parl.gc.ca
613-219-3452
Office of Eric Duncan, M.P.
Matthew.Antonitti.502@parl.gc.ca
613-992-2521
Office of Bernard Généreux, M.P.
Bernard.Genereux@parl.gc.ca
613-995-0265
