National Strategy for Children and Youth Bill
Second Reading
June 18, 2025
Honourable senators, I rise today as the friendly critic of Bill S-212, An Act respecting a national strategy for children and youth in Canada.
I want to begin by acknowledging Senator Moodie for her determined leadership and unwavering dedication to Canada’s youngest citizens. Her advocacy has been grounded, thoughtful and sustained.
From her earlier work on Bill S-282, to the vision captured in this new legislation, she has consistently elevated the voices and needs of children and youth. Her work reminds us all that the well-being of children is a fundamental responsibility of any just society.
As the former chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, I am very aware that the rights of children and youth are often ignored, overlooked or denied. This happens not only in Canada, but across the world.
Very early in my Senate career — I had been a senator for less than one year at that time — I became an Inter-Parliamentary Union, or IPU, co-rapporteur for maternal, newborn and child health.
Working with other parliamentarians from across the globe, I led the drafting of a report that emphasized the critical role of parliamentarians in advancing the health and rights of women and children. The recommendations we made in that report include the strengthening of health systems to address child health needs, promoting integrated approaches to maternal and child health, enhancing data collection and monitoring, addressing social factors of child health and engaging communities in child health initiatives.
When I look at Bill S-212, I am reminded of this IPU report. While the report focuses on global health challenges, its principles resonate with the objectives of the National Strategy for Children and Youth Bill, which prioritizes the health and well-being of children and youth and seeks to create an environment where every young person has access to the resources and support they need to thrive.
Bill S-212 outlines key objectives such as eliminating child poverty, supporting equitable access to services and ensuring that children’s rights are recognized and upheld.
The bill calls for measurable indicators of progress, ongoing consultation with a range of stakeholders, including youth and Indigenous Communities, and regular reporting to Parliament.
Its intent is to bring greater coordination and accountability to federal efforts that affect the well-being of children across the country.
Honourable senators, my 15 years of experience on the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights showed me the unfortunate situation of some children and youth in Canada. In her speech, Senator Moodie talked about the sharp rise in child poverty rates in our country. It is no wonder that at the heart of Bill S-212 lies a powerful objective: the elimination of child poverty in Canada.
Children do not choose the circumstances into which they are born, and no child in a country as wealthy as Canada should have to grow up hungry, without adequate housing or without access to the basic opportunities needed to thrive.
Poverty in childhood is not only unjust, it is deeply damaging, with long-term effects on health, education and economic mobility. Eliminating child poverty means lifting barriers that trap families in cycles of hardship and building systems that ensure every child, regardless of background, has a fair chance to reach their full potential.
Poverty in childhood is also about opportunity denied, potential wasted and futures constrained. It often leads to worse health outcomes, lower academic achievement and long-term socio-economic exclusion. Poverty disproportionately affects Indigenous children, racialized communities, children with disabilities and those in single-parent or newcomer households.
Yet, the issues that children and youth face in Canada do not stop with poverty. Over the years, the Human Rights Committee has released reports that show the bleak reality for some of our children and youth.
For example, in 2012 the committee studied cyberbullying in Canada. The findings in our report showed that, while cyberbullying is widespread in our country, there was a lack of awareness of the issue as well as a lack of resources to help not just victims and their families but educators too.
Another study that emphasized the need for systemic reforms to protect the rights and well-being of children and youth was conducted in 2017-18 when we looked into the Canadian correctional system. The report that resulted from that study highlighted concerns regarding the housing of youth with adult offenders in federal correctional facilities, as well as the housing of young offenders and children in need of protection.
More recently, the committee looked at the global crisis of forced displacement. We learned that displaced youth often experience significant mental health issues, including PTSD, depression and anxiety. The forced displacement disrupts the identities of young migrants, leaving them in a state of limbo regarding their sense of home and belonging.
These are only a few of the studies that showed the challenges faced by some children and youth in our country. The same themes come up over and over again, and the same recommendations are rehashed: clear objectives, measurable indicators and robust accountability mechanisms.
Bill S-212 mandates the creation of a national strategy that includes these things. It would also require regular progress reports, including diverse voices in consultation — those of children themselves — and proposes action plans that address both immediate harms and systemic root causes.
The national strategy envisioned by this bill should also focus on supporting other enduring values. It should prioritize respect for the central role of parents in shaping a child’s development and recognize the importance of local communities as key partners in building healthy, nurturing environments.
These principles — family and community — are essential foundations for long-term well-being and must be embedded throughout the strategy. By reinforcing these supports the strategy can uphold the integrity of families and empower communities.
Honourable senators, it is now seven o’clock. Pursuant to rule 3-3(1), I am obliged to leave the chair until eight o’clock, when we will resume, unless it is your wish, honourable senators, to not see the clock.
Is it agreed to not see the clock?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Thank you, Your Honour.
As we consider how to improve outcomes for children, it is also important to recognize the crucial role that early childhood educators play in supporting healthy development in a child’s most formative years. These professionals do more than supervise: They foster learning, build social-emotional skills and create a safe, nurturing environment that shapes a child’s future.
A national strategy for children and youth should be acknowledged and support the early learning workforce by ensuring adequate training, fair compensation and inclusion in policy planning.
Valuing early childhood educators is an essential part of building the foundation for lifelong success and well-being.
Supporting youth means not only addressing well-being and poverty but also ensuring a successful transition into the workforce.
Young people face significant and ongoing challenges in entering the labour market, particularly in securing meaningful summer and entry-level employment. A comprehensive national strategy must account for these barriers by supporting job readiness programs, vocational training and clear education to employment pathways tailored to youth.
As a parent myself, I find this legislation especially meaningful. Raising a child is among life’s greatest joys and responsibilities. Every parent wants to see their child safe, well and given the chance to succeed.
However, not all families have the same resources or access. This bill recognizes that reality and aims to level the playing field, not by prescribing a single path, but by ensuring that every child has the opportunity to pursue their own.
Parenting is a deeply personal experience, but it is also shaped by broader social conditions. When a family has access to affordable child care, nutritious food, safe housing and timely health care, parents are better able to focus on nurturing their child’s growth and development.
Colleagues, this bill presents an opportunity to examine how we can better support children and youth through a structured, collaborative approach. A national strategy is a significant step towards fulfilling our moral and legal obligation to Canada’s youngest citizens.
I support referring Bill S-212 to committee for further study where it can be reviewed in detail. The committee process will allow for a closer examination of the bill’s proposals and the potential implications. We look forward to the discussions and insights that will emerge from this important work.
Thank you.
Honourable senators, I rise today to speak in support for Bill S-212, An Act respecting a national strategy for children and youth in Canada. I wish to thank Senator Moodie for her leadership in bringing this important piece of legislation forward.
This bill is more than just a policy proposal. It’s a statement of values. It reflects a moral commitment and an urgent call to action. It challenges us to face up to our responsibilities towards the most precious members of our society, that is, our children and young people.
We often say that children are our future, but we also need to remember that they really are our present. They are living with the consequences of the decisions we’re making right now. Their health, education, safety and opportunities are all shaped, directly or indirectly, by the policies we choose to implement, the investments we make and the priorities we set.
The truth is that far too many young people in Canada are struggling.
Let’s start with mental health. According to Statistics Canada, in 2022 nearly half of youth aged 15 to 24 reported that their mental health was either fair or poor. Rates of anxiety, depression and self-harm are rising, especially among teenage girls and the 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. We’re seeing is a system under strain, and children are feeling the pain.
Then there’s the reality of child poverty. Despite some progress, nearly one in five children — about 1.4 million kids — still live in poverty in this country according to Campaign 2000’s 2024 report. That means going to school hungry. It means living in overcrowded or unstable housing. Poverty robs children of their energy, attention in class and hope for the future.
There’s also the growing concern of online exploitation and safety. The internet has become an essential part of how young people learn. They connect and express themselves there. But it’s also a space where they are increasingly vulnerable. Online sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, harassment and exposure to harmful content are rising. Yet protections, oversight and education for safe, online engagement remain fragmented and underdeveloped.
We know these challenges are not equally experienced. Indigenous children, racialized youth, children in care, 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and children with disabilities face systemic barriers that make it harder for them to access supports and opportunities. These children are more likely to experience poverty, violence, exclusion and health disparities.
These are not isolated experiences: They are patterns, deeply rooted in our society and they demand deliberate and coordinated responses. That is why Bill S-212 is so essential.
This bill calls for the creation of a national strategy for children and youth, a roadmap that would align and coordinate our efforts across jurisdictions based on the rights of children and informed by their voices.
It would require the federal government to work collaboratively with provinces, territories, Indigenous governments and civil society to bring a long-term plan that reflects the needs and realities for young people in Canada.
Right now, support for children and youth — your children, your grandchildren — is fragmented and uneven. There is no unified framework to guide our collective efforts, no shared set of indicators to measure their progress and no consistent mechanism for accountability. That is what this bill seeks to change.
I also want to take a moment to speak about something I believe must be included in the national strategy for children and youth, and that is sport and physical activity.
Sport is often viewed as optional, a luxury or simply a pastime. The reality is that, for young people, sport and physical activity are vital to health and development. Regular movement isn’t just good for the body, it’s essential for the mind, confidence, social connection and long-term well-being. When kids move, they thrive. When they don’t, the consequences can be serious and lasting. Right now, those consequences are being felt across Canada.
According to ParticipACTION’s 2024 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, only 39% of children aged 5 to 17 are meeting the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. That means the majority of kids in this country are not getting enough movement to stay healthy. The impacts of this are alarming.
Physical inactivity is linked to increased rates of childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues and even some forms of cancer later in life. But it goes beyond physical health. Inactive children are more likely to struggle with mental health challenges like anxiety and depression.
They are more likely to have trouble focusing in school, to experience poor sleep and to suffer from low self-esteem. The effects can follow them into adulthood, reducing not only their quality of life but also their potential to contribute fully to society.
Sport, when done right, can be a powerful antidote to all of this. It builds self-confidence, resilience, discipline and a sense of belonging. It teaches teamwork and respect, and it provides a constructive outlet for stress. For many children, especially those facing difficult life circumstances, sport is not a luxury — it is a lifeline.
Yet we know that access to sport is deeply unequal. The Jumpstart State of Play Youth Report 2024 found that youth face numerous barriers to participation. The most cited challenge is cost, whether it involves equipment, registration fees or transportation. Many families simply can’t afford to keep their kids enrolled in organized sport.
Comfort is another major barrier. Girls, racialized youth and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth often report feeling judged, excluded or unwelcome in sports environments. Some describe negative experiences, from bullying and discrimination to toxic coaching cultures. Youth with disabilities, in particular, face not only a lack of inclusive programming but also physical and attitudinal barriers that shut them out before they even begin.
For girls, the gap is especially stark. According to the Rally Report, over 1 million Canadian girls are currently not participating in sport. While 63% of girls play organized sports weekly — compared to 68% of boys — that number declines sharply with age. By age 16, nearly half of all girls have dropped out of sport altogether. Girls from lower-income households and those living with disabilities are even less likely to stay involved.
This is not just a missed opportunity; it’s a national health concern. Without early and sustained engagement in physical activity, we risk setting up an entire generation for a lifetime of preventable health problems, lower educational outcomes and diminished well-being.
Would Senator McBean take a question?
Yes.
In your speech, you talked about fairness and equity. I was thinking about how the most popular sport in the world is football, also known as soccer, and you see kids all over the world just take a ball and go out and play in a field or in the street. You also talked about how cost can be a barrier. I was thinking about how sport has become commercialized, but I agree with you on the importance of sport and activity for health.
Should a framework or strategy also take into account that equity piece in that it should promote movement beyond organized sports and include something as simple as getting outside with a ball and kicking it around the street or playing street hockey? Organized sport is a barrier for some families.
Thank you for the question. I have actually done a lot of work on this, even internationally when we go to international communities. I have been involved with NGOs in Mali, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. What we tend to bring there is organized sport, for all the things that they learn through that, because the children there have a lot of unorganized sport. They just go out and play.
In Canada, as parents, it is not as if you can say to your kids, “Go outside.” Well, I can’t; I live in Toronto. When I was young, we were told, “Come home when the street lights come on.” Now there are a lot of safety risks involved in that. There is more traffic.
I think that unstructured play is wonderful, and we need to keep building our schools with sizable yards for kids to play in, but children are participating more and more in structured sport.
The Jumpstart report that I referred to says that one of the largest problems is cost. One of the most popular ways for kids to get to sports is by being driven by a parent, and that is difficult if you have two parents working. I think we must have a strategy where we have programs that are more widely available — after-school programs instead of a program that you have to go and sign up for. I know at my daughter’s school there are some programs like that, but we need to have more after-school programs. We can’t download that onto teachers, because for the playground to be available and for there to be a program, you have to pay a third-party coach to come in and teach soccer. This is what is happening in a lot of cities.
Yes, we need to have a framework come in. There needs to be support for this. It is one of those challenges where a lot of people in health and education and sport come here. All three of those areas are managed provincially, but we need to have a voice that is structuring to bring all of these things together so that children can thrive.
Are honourable senators ready for the question?
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
(Motion agreed to and bill read second time.)
