Bill C-398 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (medical inadmissibility — excessive demand)

This bill is from the 42nd Parliament, 1st session, which ended in September 2019.

Sponsor

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 Feb. 15, 2018
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill.

This enactment amends the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in order to remove the health ground on which a foreign national is inadmissible if their health condition might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services.

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.

Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-398s:

C-398 (2024) An Act to amend the National Housing Strategy Act

C-398 (2012) An Act to amend the Patent Act (drugs for international humanitarian purposes)

C-398 (2010) An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (Internet neutrality)

C-398 (2009) An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (Internet neutrality)

C-398 (2007) Canada Post-Secondary Education Act

Immigration and Refugee Protection ActRoutine Proceedings

February 15th, 2018 / 10:05 a.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-398, an act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (medical inadmissibility—excessive demand).

Mr. Speaker, it is with a sense of duty and urgency that I rise in the House to table my bill which would repeal paragraph 38(1)(c) of the IRPA.

Canada is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Paragraph 38(1)(c) directly contravenes this convention, allowing Canada's immigration system to discriminate against individuals with disabilities on the mere assumption an individual could pose an excessive burden on Canada's health or social services.

Following national media attention, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration studied this provision. It was made clear by witnesses, government members, and even the minister himself that this policy is out of step with Canadian values.

For two years, the minister has been consulting on this policy and has failed to act. Meanwhile, families like those of Monica Mateo and Marilyn Cruzet continue to suffer and wonder if their families will ever be reunited despite their contributions to this country by caring for our seniors and children. It is simply unacceptable. Full repeal is the only option to go forward.

I call on the government to adopt my bill as its own and take immediate action on this urgent issue.

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