Yes.
The genesis of this motion is that in Canada the population of LGBTQ2 people is likely under-reported due to stigma. Reliable studies indicate that this community makes up 13% or more of the population, which is roughly 4.7 million Canadians. LGBTQ2 people have continually poorer health than the average Canadian, presenting health outcomes that are only slightly better than indigenous Canadians, a group which is, as we sadly know, poorly served by our health services. This presents significant costs to the Canadian health care system.
The average LGBTQ2 person is vastly more likely to have contracted HIV, is more likely to suffer from anxiety and mood disorders, to have elevated rates of substance use and abuse, and is more likely to attempt suicide than the rest of the Canadian population. Access to gender confirmation surgeries and appropriate endocrinologists varies across the country.
The Government of Canada has not commissioned an investigation into the root causes of these health disparities. This motion is an opportunity for the Standing Committee on Health to conduct a study—I suggest no fewer than five to seven meetings—using two primary questions. What determinants and causes are responsible for continually poor LGBTQ2 health in Canada? What are the barriers to LGBTQ2 people accessing better health care, including structural, institutional, financial, physician-side, and/or other barriers?
With this study, there is an opportunity to identify the root causes of continuing health disparities nationally, to understand best practices, and to address the gaps in the health care system, which is not meeting the needs of the Canadian LGBTQ2 population.