Bill C-444 (Historical)

Living Donors Reimbursement Act

An Act to provide for cash contributions to provinces that operate programs for the reimbursement of the expenses of living organ donors, to provide for the appointment of a National Organ Transplant Coordinator and to amend the Employment Insurance Act

This bill was last introduced in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in September 2008.

This bill was previously introduced in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session.

Sponsor

Lloyd St. Amand  Liberal

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of Oct. 16, 2007
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment provides for the Government of Canada to make cash contributions to provinces that operate programs to reimburse living organ donors for the expenses they incur in donating organs. It also provides for the appointment of a National Organ Transplant Coordinator to assist in the coordination of the matching of potential living organ donors with potential organ recipients.
In addition, this enactment amends the Employment Insurance Act to provide that any period of time during which a claimant is unable to work because of the claimant's donation of an organ for transplantation into another person at a medical facility operated or regulated by a province will be considered a period of time during which the claimant is unable to work because of illness, thus allowing the claimant to receive employment insurance benefits during that period if the claimant meets all other applicable requirements under that Act.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Living Donors Reimbursement ActRoutine Proceedings

May 17th, 2007 / 10:05 a.m.
See context

Liberal

Lloyd St. Amand Liberal Brant, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-444, An Act to provide for cash contributions to provinces that operate programs for the reimbursement of the expenses of living organ donors, to provide for the appointment of a National Organ Transplant Coordinator and to amend the Employment Insurance Act.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank my colleague, the member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, for his tremendous long-standing assistance on this issue. I also wish to thank my colleague, the member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River, for seconding the bill.

The living donors reimbursement act is an important step in increasing living organ donations in Canada. Thousands of individuals in Canada are currently waiting for an organ. Living donors are a vital part of Canada's organ donation system, as organs from living donors are typically healthier, function better and last longer.

We as a federal government must do more to ensure that living organ donors, who are truly giving the gift of life to others, are reimbursed for their out of pocket expenses and lost income.

The bill would amend the Employment Insurance Act to allow those who are convalescing from their organ donation to claim loss of their wages.

The bill would also appoint a national organ transplant coordinator to lead the efforts to coordinate and match potential donors with recipients.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)