Category: Canada

The Conservatives’ murky position on ‘conscience rights’ in health care

The Tory platform says the party will protect conscience rights in health care, but won’t say whether that might restrict access to abortion or deny care to trans people

Maclean’s

Justin Ling

Erin O’Toole’s Conservatives won’t say whether their plan to extend ‘conscience rights’ to doctors, nurses and health-care providers will permit denying care to LGBTQ people.

O’Toole was hammered on the campaign trail on Thursday over a line in his platform which pledges that his hypothetical future government will “protect the conscience rights of healthcare professionals.”

It’s language that comes directly from a coalition of faith-based organizations which are hoping to protect religious and socially conservative doctors who want to opt-out of providing care they don’t believe in. . . continue reading

What is ‘conscientious objection’? Here’s why major parties are talking about it

Global News

David Lao

As the campaign for the 2021 federal election continues, one controversial topic looks to be coming right to the forefront — whether health-care professionals are obligated to provide care for service they morally oppose, or at least refer the patient to another doctor.

At issue is what’s known as conscientious objection: when health-care practitioners refuse to do or refer patients for a medical procedure that is against their belief such as abortions, medical assistance in dying or even gender-reassignment surgery.

The conversation comes as Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole was pressed on Thursday to clarify a promise in his party’s platform, under the section detailing human rights, to “protect the conscience rights of health-care professionals.”

“The challenges of dealing with COVID-19 have reminded us of the vital importance of health care professionals — the last thing Canada can afford to do is drive any of these professionals out of their profession. We will also encourage faith-based and other community organizations to expand their provision of palliative and long-term care,” read the promise.

O’Toole refused to say whether that means he believes doctors and nurses should be able to refuse to refer their patients to a willing practitioner who can offer the medical care being sought. . . continue reading

The University of Manitoba’s repulsive pantomime of justice against a conservative student

The National Post

Colby Cosh

Today’s column has to start with a tip of the cap to my colleague Tyler Dawson, who has delivered a fine account of an extraordinary Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench case that was decided last week. It concerns a struggle between medical student Rafael Zaki and the University of Manitoba’s Max Rady College of Medicine, which expelled Zaki in the summer of 2020 after about a year’s worth of disciplinary procedures.

Zaki’s offence was a total of three Facebook posts that attracted anonymous complaints from 18 fellow students: two were written in support of the right to bear arms, and the third was an extended, uncompromising anti-abortion monologue that seems to have touched on just about every pro-life argument ever devised, irrespective of consistency or convincingness. . . continue reading

Manitoba medical student expelled over ‘pro-gun and pro-life’ Facebook posts wins court ruling

Rafael Zaki said he was expelled for his conscientious and religious beliefs. The judge said the university appeared biased in its decision

The National Post

Tyler Dawson

A Manitoba medical student who was expelled after failing to satisfactorily apologize for his controversial views on guns and abortion has been granted a new adjudication of his expulsion.

Rafael Zaki, a Coptic Orthodox student at the University of Manitoba who was supposed to graduate in 2022, posted three items on his Facebook page in February 2019. He was expelled in August 2019

One year later, after losing two appeals within the university system, Zaki asked Manitoba’s Court of Queen’s Bench to review the decision made by the University Discipline Committee. Zaki said he was expelled “for holding conscientious and religious beliefs that abortion is harmful.” . . . continue reading

Groups representing doctors, nurses call for mandatory vaccination of health-care workers

France, Italy and Greece will make vaccinations mandatory for health-care workers

Nick Boisvert

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) are jointly calling for COVID-19 vaccinations to be made mandatory for health-care workers.

The two organizations today joined a growing number of calls to make vaccines a mandatory condition of employment in the health care sector.

“As health providers, we have a fundamental duty of care towards our patients and the public. There is significant evidence that vaccines are safe and effective and as health professionals who are leading the vaccination campaigns, it is the right call and an appropriate step,” said CMA president Dr. Ann Collins. . . continue reading