National Framework for Women’s Health in Canada Bill

Honourable senators, I rise today on the unceded lands of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation to add my voice to those of our colleagues Senator Henkel, the bill’s sponsor, and Senator Oudar to speak to Bill C-243, An Act to establish a national framework for women’s health in Canada.

I am a fortunate woman with an almost 99-year-old mom. I also have an aunt, three daughters, five granddaughters, two sisters, many nieces and great-nieces, and a great group of women friends. I, like several of you in this chamber, am a cancer survivor. I also have four brothers, three sons-in-law, two grandsons, an uncle, several nephews and great-nephews, and a wonderful group of male friends. Honourable senators, of course, while we hold our loved ones close, we are here to govern for the benefit of all Canadians — women, men and our nonbinary citizens.

Colleagues, I was thrilled to see the government stepping up yesterday, with Health Minister Marjorie Michel announcing the launch of consultations with men and boys on a national men’s health strategy. This is important.

Our former colleague the Honourable Roméo Dallaire bravely brought men’s mental health issues out from the darkness into the light by revealing his own struggle with PTSD. We know that today many young men and boys are caught up in the “manosphere” with all of its dangers to their own health and to that of our society. But today my remarks will focus on Bill S-243 and the critical importance of having a national framework for women’s health.

Honourable senators, the iconic phrase “Mind the Gap” was first introduced in 1968 in the London Underground. In the London Underground and other subways around the world, that phrase means, “Watch out for that spatial gap between the station platform and the train.” The verb “mind” in this situation means “pay attention to.” The verb “mind” can also mean “be concerned about or worried by.”

I would argue that when we are facing gaps or disparities in women’s health, we mind these gaps in both senses of the word: We need to pay attention to those gaps in women’s health and should, at the same time, be concerned by them.

There are so many gaps to mind when it comes to women’s health.

We mind the achievement gap between the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals — number three on good health and well-being, number five on gender equality and where we currently are on both goals in Canada.

With Canada ranked at sixty-fourth in the world on the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, we mind the large gap between us and the top-ranked countries of Taiwan, Kuwait and Austria. We mind the 24% gap between the time women in Canada spend in poor health and varying degrees of disability compared to men in Canada, as reported by the McKinsey Health Institute. We mind the 27-year gap between now and the last federal framework on women’s health from 1999.

We mind the gap between what we already know about women’s health and what we are doing about it. We mind the many gaps in the patchwork of fragmented health jurisdictions that many women end up falling through. We mind the gap between what is needed to ensure a health care system that works overall for women and the one that actually exists. We mind the gap in health care availability, quality and outcomes for women in rural, northern and remote communities. We mind the gap in health care availability, quality, suitability and outcomes for Indigenous, racialized, immigrant and incarcerated women.

We mind the gap in funding for research on women’s health — only 5% globally and 7% of federal health research funding in Canada. We mind the gap in research and knowledge in areas exclusive to women — sexual and reproductive health, menstruation, menopause, endometriosis and other gynaecological concerns. We mind the gap in research of conditions affecting women in disproportionately large percentages, such as MS, migraines, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. And to the women among us — who here wishes someone would come up with a new, non-tortuous technology to detect breast cancer? At my hospital, I have heard mammogram appointments referred to as “Pancake Tuesday.”

We mind the gap in modern screening technologies for women. We mind the large gaps in data on women’s health. We mind the gaps in tools, protocols and clinical responses tailored to women. We mind the gaps in medical training related to women’s physical and mental health. We mind the gap in diagnosis time for endometriosis, which can take a torturous 7 to 10 years to diagnose.

We mind the gap in women’s productivity, and often their income, due to untreated menopause or other conditions. We mind the gap in pay for equivalent surgeries on women and men. We mind the gap in women’s confidence in and satisfaction with their health care.

Colleagues, there are no doubt more gaps I could list, but I want to now turn to something that I believe will be important to consider when developing the national framework for women’s health in Canada.

St. Francis Xavier University — right across the street from my house — is home to the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health. Our colleague Senator Greenwood used to run the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Northern British Columbia. The National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health provides the Canadian public health community with knowledge and resources to take action on the social determinants of health with a view to closing the gap between those who are most and those who are least healthy.

I quote from their materials:

Our health is determined by the conditions of our everyday lives, and by systems that help keep us healthy and support us when we get sick. . . .

Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts highlights 14 interrelated factors that influence people’s health. These are: First Nation, Inuit or Métis status; disability; early life; education; employment and working conditions; food insecurity; health services; gender — yes, gender is a determinant of health; housing; income and income distribution; race; social exclusion; social safety network; unemployment; and job security.

The article also cites the 2009 final report of the Senate Subcommittee on Population Health, which says:

Many Canadians aren’t aware that the social and economic circumstances of peoples’ lives have a greater influence on individual and community health status than medical care and personal health behaviours do. The final report of a Senate Subcommittee found that socio-economic factors account for fully 50% of all health outcomes, while health care, genetics, and physical environment account for 25%, 15%, and 10% of health outcomes, respectively.

Therefore, colleagues, I believe it will be critical that the process designed to develop the national framework for women’s health in Canada take into account this fundamentally important information and place an emphasis on the social and economic factors that have significant impacts on health outcomes for Canadian women.

I also believe it is important to listen to the voices of leaders in women’s health and women on the ground.

The IWK Foundation in Nova Scotia, which focuses on women’s and children’s health, issued a report in October 2025 entitled The Voice of Maritime Women: The Unspoken Burden of Women’s Health. It reported the findings of a survey of over 27,000 Maritime women on their health experiences. They have also recently launched the WHEN: Women’s Health Equity Now movement. When I asked IWK Foundation President and CEO Jennifer Gillivan about Bill S-243, here is what she had to say:

Canada is the only G7 nation that doesn’t have a current national health strategy for women. If we are to build Canada strong —

— you may have heard that expression before —

— it starts with including and ensuring the other 50% of our population have an equal health care system designed for women, informed by research beyond 7%. Women make up over 50% of our labour force and we are not getting a good return on our tax dollars.

Developing a national health strategy for women, supporting more research on women and investing in the fem tech industry could make Canada a global leader.

To close this gap is both a moral imperative and a smart economic opportunity for Canada.

In today’s The Globe and Mail, Canada’s Minister of Health, Marjorie Michel, said:

Men’s health is not a niche health issue . . . it’s a national one affecting work-force participation, the economy, community stability and family well-being.

Honourable colleagues, women’s health is also not a niche issue. It too is “. . . a national one affecting work-force participation, the economy, community stability and family well-being.” It is an issue where there are clear gaps and clear opportunities.

As we gather here today in our nation’s capital, near the platform of Ottawa’s former Union Station, and as we look to that metaphorical train — a modern train representing the future good health of Canadian women — let’s mind the gap; let’s be aware of the gap. Let’s be concerned about the gap, but let’s do something about the gap. Let’s take the leap onto that train and work together to ensure that we close that glaring gap in women’s health within Canada once and for all.

Honourable senators, let’s vote to send Bill S-243 to committee for further study. Let’s show Canadian women that our health matters. Thank you. Wela’lioq.