This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.
Summary
This is from the published bill.
This enactment amends the Canada Revenue Agency Act to authorize the Canada Revenue Agency to enter into an agreement with a province or a territory regarding the collection and disclosure of information required for establishing or maintaining an organ and tissue donor registry in the province or territory.
This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below.
Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Bill C-210 would amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act to allow the CRA to collect information on organ and tissue donation interest through income tax returns, with consent, for provincial registries.
Conservative
Add donation question to tax form: The bill proposes adding a question to annual tax forms allowing Canadians to indicate their interest in being an organ and tissue donor.
Address low registration rates: Conservatives support the bill to address Canada's low organ donor registration rate, which is ineffective using current provincial methods like driver's licenses.
Save lives and improve system: The bill is a simple, practical step supported by all parties to increase donation rates, save lives, and provide provinces with necessary tools for transplant programs.
NDP
Supports bill C-210: The NDP fundamentally believes every Canadian needing a transplant should receive one and supports Bill C-210 to allow organ donation registration via tax forms.
Addresses low donation rates: Members highlight that Canada's organ donation rate is low, with only 20% registered, leading to people dying on wait-lists.
Encourages federal-provincial coordination: The bill is seen as important because it enables the federal government to coordinate with provinces and territories on organ and tissue donor registration.
Prefers opt-out system: New Democrats strongly support an opt-out system for organ donation, noting it leads to record-high donation rates in other countries.
Bloc
Supports bill C-210: The Bloc Québécois fully supports Bill C-210, which allows the CRA to collect organ donor information via tax returns and share it with provinces and territories.
Bill unlikely to affect Quebec: Due to Quebec's existing tax return and health jurisdiction, the province is unlikely to sign an agreement with the CRA, making the bill mainly for other provinces.
Addresses organ donation challenges: Members highlight the need for increased awareness, education, improved medical infrastructure, and potentially exploring opt-out systems to truly boost organ donation rates.
Liberal
Supports bill C-210: The Liberal party fully supports Bill C-210, recognizing its potential to increase organ and tissue donation and save lives across Canada.
Address donor shortage: Members highlight the critical need for more donors, noting the thousands of Canadians waiting for transplants and the hundreds who die annually while waiting.
Existing government initiatives: The government is already committed to improving the system through initiatives like the organ donation and transplantation collaborative and investments in a pan-Canadian data system.
Implementation challenges: Concerns exist regarding the bill's proposed implementation method, particularly the CRA directly collecting consent, preferring an approach that better respects provincial jurisdiction and streamlines the process.
