House of Commons Hansard #119 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was agriculture.

Topics

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:05 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I fully agree with my hon. colleague. Would the hon. member in the corner, without naming him, either step outside or listen to the hon. member.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:05 p.m.

Bloc

Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC

Mr. Speaker, I get the impression that you are a miracle worker.

Over the course of almost 30 years of professional life entirely dedicated to paediatric care, I finally saw hope rekindled in the hearts and minds of parents and children. Organ and tissue transplants now make it possible to save lives.

Today, increasingly sophisticated technologies make heart, liver, lung and pancreas transplants possible. What was a virtually impossible feat in 1960 has become, today more than ever, an everyday reality.

In 1995, in Quebec alone, 375 people received the invaluable gift of life because 117 healthy people like you and me agreed to donate their organs after death. Yet, there are still over 500 people in Quebec waiting for organ transplants; in Canada, only 40 percent of people with the same need receive the gift of life.

Despite the progress of science, the main obstacle remains the insufficient number of donors. So, the more donors there are, the more people will benefit from long awaited organ transplants that will improve their quality of life.

Last April, I was able to speak at the second reading stage of this bill introduced by the hon. member for Ontario. I was also at that time joint chairman of an organ donation awareness campaign. Incidently-and this is something I am extremely proud of-for the last four years in Laval, the second most populous city in Quebec and a thriving community in many areas, April has been declared organ donation month. So I know such a campaign can motivate people to sign organ donation cards.

It is in this spirit that I introduced these amendments proposing that the bill provides for a full month of awareness instead of only one day. At the request of agencies that are very concerned about all aspects of organ donations, I wish to present a number of amendments today, and I earnestly hope that my colleagues on the government benches and those in the third party in this House will give their unanimous support to this request.

It is important to inform the public and raise public awareness of the importance of organ donations. We never know when we or one of our loved ones might need this gift of life.

According to a working paper on donation and distribution of organs and tissues in Canada, produced by the federal-provincial-territorial advisory committee on health services in 1996, there is a critical shortage of organs in Canada.

In a society like ours that takes pride in having the best health care system there is, because it is available to every one, can we tolerate not having enough organs to give to the people that need

them? The only way to change this is to make the entire population aware of the problem.

As we near the year 2000, we have truly exceptional means of communication at our disposal. What we can do in a month is incredible. What is needed is political will, and I believe the Parliament of Canada, of which I am a member, is prepared to make this decision.

In Canada, and I think this will surprise you, the number of organ donations per million people is one of the lowest among industrialized countries. In 1993, for instance, it was 13.9 per million; in Austria, it was 25.2; in Spain, not a very rich country, 21.7; in Belgium, 19; in the United States, 17.7; in France, 17 and in the United Kingdom, 15.5.

In addition to having one of the lowest organ donation rates, we are seeing an increase in the number of people in Canada who are waiting for organ donations. It is clear that progress in medicine is widely reported and that people know what they are entitled to and what they can benefit from. A way must be found, therefore, to meet their needs.

In 1995 in Canada, 2,500 people were awaiting a transplant, an increase of 15.5 per cent over 1994. Everyone will agree that it is a significant increase and that it clearly signals a need for public information.

Obviously, a Canada wide public information campaign is called for. A month long information campaign, in April, when nature revives and life breathes anew, is needed, I think, to let people know the importance of the situation and our responsibility as individuals, because too many things still stand in the way of organ donations.

According to a 1994 survey undertaken by Mutual Life, whose excellent efforts toward public awareness I am proud to honour, 77 per cent of Canadians said they were prepared to donate their organs, although only 58 per cent of them said they had signed a donor card.

There is many a slip from the cup to the lip and I think we can change that if Parliament unanimously supports these amendments.

The gap between attitudes and behaviour can probably be explained by the fact that we do not know how other family members feel about this. There are also the fears, the bias and the lack of trust in the operations.

Therefore, I believe that the great shortage of organs and the importance of this cause are worth a month of effort to inform the public. I want to thank my colleague, the member for Ontario, for this extraordinary idea he had to ask that one day, April 21, be devoted to that cause and I am sure he will agree with me that this day should be the culminating point of a whole month dedicated to raising awareness of organ donations.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:20 p.m.

Liberal

Dan McTeague Liberal Ontario, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to speak on this bill today, at the report stage.

This bill has a story. It started about two years ago.

It is a bill which unites the House of Commons in a common front that puts aside politics and the ideological differences which we have. It is an issue which allows us to consider that perhaps the greatest gift we can give to other people in passing away is the gift of life.

The genesis, the origin of this bill was made possible by the sacrifice which was made by one young individual, a very young Canadian, a former constituent of mine, Stuart Herriot, better known among those who knew him as Stu Buddy.

This bill has received the accolade of the Stu Buddy bill. That is for good reason. Today in the gallery we welcome Tim Herriot, the father of Stuart Herriot, and his aunt, Linda Rumble, who spearheaded this bill. On behalf of the House I congratulate them on their efforts.

As the hon. member for Laval Centre indicated, in Canada we need to address the fact that nearly 1,100 people die every year waiting for the gift of life. Fortunately, in 1994-95 four people, who are alive and very healthy today, received the gift of life compliments of the sacrifice that Stuart made when he was tragically killed on April 21.

I do not know if it is divine intervention or just fate, but whatever the case may be, it turns out that the week which has customarily been named to honour organ donation has been the third week of April. It is ironic and perhaps tragic, but also, in a very strange sense, positive that April 21, the day on which Stuart died, is also the week that would allow the House of Commons to consider not only a national organ day, but perhaps, as the hon. member from the Bloc has said, a national organ donor month.

I do not want to play politics with this bill. The intent is to make sure that the bill, which received unanimous consent at second reading and went through committee without amendment-certainly there were no objections from the government, the Bloc or Reform-perhaps by way of compromise, provide a national organ donor week.

I want to speak on that for just a brief moment because we are now dealing with lives and lives no know boundaries. They do not know a jurisdiction between Canada and the United States or between various regions or various cities of the country. It just so happens that the U.S. congress has already recognized the third week of April as being its national organ donor week. In a mood of harmonization I think the ultimate goal, the higher goal which transcends again the politics and political barriers, I would hope

that we could perhaps as a Parliament at the very least consider this week.

I understand the hon. member has suggested the month as she said so very eloquently, but I think we have to try to do what we can here today. I am pleased to have had an opportunity to work with her on this bill. I know she has met many people, as so many of us have, young people and older people who have given away that part of themselves in dying with the understanding and the knowledge that they may give life to other people.

The importance of this bill should not be forgotten in terms of what it is trying to accomplish: awareness and education. Without those two elements, despite having the means to provide more transplants, we will still wind up in deficit situation of nearly 1,100 people dying every year because they do not or cannot wait to receive the gift of live.

I hope we are not in a position where we forget the sacrifices being made by those and other people who tonight at this very time are either on dialysis machines or awaiting in the various hospitals around this country for the gift of life.

It is my belief that this House from time to time may be criticized for getting mired down in politics, of getting mired down in the day to day distractions based on ideologies and what not. This bill brings a common sense of purpose and a common sense of unity to the posterity of our own species, of our own society and of mankind.

In recognizing that the hon. member has made these motions and in the interest of perhaps getting this bill passed as soon as possible, and honouring the sacrifice made by young Stu Buddy I ask if it might be possible that we make an amendment to the motions that have been put forward, in the interest of getting this done before Christmas in the context of giving.

I move:

That the amendment be amended by replacing the word "month" with the word "week".

I submit this now.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:25 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Would the hon. member indicate by his amendment if he is changing the word in each of the motions?

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:25 p.m.

Liberal

Dan McTeague Liberal Ontario, ON

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:25 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

The amendment is in order.

Resuming debate.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:25 p.m.

An hon. member

Question.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:25 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

If the hon. member has a question or anything else, with the unanimous consent of the House and in the spirit of Christmas, I think we should let the hon. member for Laval Centre speak first.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:25 p.m.

Bloc

Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC

Mr. Speaker, as you know, we get what we can get. I would really like the House to vote on the amendment that I tabled. I continue to think that, maybe, a majority of members will vote in favour of a national organ donor "month".

If the amendment that I tabled on behalf of Quebecers is rejected, I will, of course, vote for a national organ donor week, since it is better than nothing.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is the House ready for the question?

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Question.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

Bloc

Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC

Mr. Speaker, I clearly asked that my amendment be voted on. If the amendment is rejected-

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

Liberal

Guy Arseneault Liberal Restigouche—Chaleur, NB

It is impossible.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

Bloc

Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC

It is impossible. I understand. I will vote in favour of one week, but I want one month. Mr. Speaker, does this mean my amendment will be dropped, or are we still going to vote on it?

If the amendment to the amendment deals with the amendment, the amendment per se has to be rejected first, right?

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

For better or worse, the House must vote on the amendment tabled by the hon. member. If it is negatived, the hon. member will be allowed to then submit her amendment. You do not agree?

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

Liberal

Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON

Question.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I must follow the rules of this House. The hon. member for Laval Centre has the floor.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

Bloc

Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC

Mr. Speaker, you will certainly understand that I would never question your judgment, so I will oblige with pleasure since it is almost Christmas.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

The question is on the amendment to the amendment. All those in favour of the amendment to the amendment will please say yea.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

All those opposed will please say nay.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

In my opinion the yeas have it.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

An hon. member

On division.

National Organ Donor Day ActPrivate Members' Business

6:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

The motion is carried on division.

(Amendment to the amendment agreed to.)