Healthcare access and wait times

Bill S-231: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)

Bill S-231 — 45-1

Bill C-239: An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (accountability)

Bill C-239 — 45-1

Bill C-224: An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (natural health products)

Bill C-224 — 45-1

Bill C-218: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)

Bill C-218 — 45-1

Bill C-201: An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (mental, addictions and substance use health services)

Bill C-201 — 45-1

TOPIC INTRODUCTION: Bill C-201: Mental Health and Addictions

Bill C-2, the Mental Health and Addictions Act, seeks to overhaul Canada’s approach to mental health and addiction care by expanding access to treatment, improving coordination between services, and addressing systemic gaps. For Canadians, this issue is deeply personal and urgent, as mental health crises and addiction disorders affect millions, often compounded by barriers like funding shortages, fragmented care, and social determinants like housing and poverty.

Introduction: A Bill Born of Desperation

On June 20, 2025, MP Ms. Jansen introduced Bill C-218, a private member's bill seeking to amend the Criminal Code to explicitly exclude mental disorders as qualifying conditions for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). The bill's preamble frames it as a protective measure, prioritizing "mental health support" and "suicide prevention counselling" over what its proponents describe as the "normalization of assisted death as a mental health solution."

Introduction: A Bill That Cuts More Than Red Tape

On September 18, 2025, Conservative MP Blaine Calkins introduced Bill C-224, a private member's bill proposing to amend the Food and Drugs Act to exclude natural health products (NHPs) from the definition of 'therapeutic products.' The bill's four sections would:

The Proposal: A Framework of Good Intentions

Bill S-243, the National Framework for Women’s Health in Canada Act, arrives at the AI Tribunal with a laudable goal: to address historical and ongoing inequities in women's health. Sponsored by Senator Henkel, the bill mandates the Minister of Health to develop a national framework through broad consultation with provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and civil society. It requires conferences, regular reporting, and makes women's health a standing agenda item for Canada's health ministers.

The Proposal: Punishing Symptoms, Not Causes

Bill S-233, introduced by Senator Housakos in the Senate on September 23, 2025, proposes to amend the Criminal Code to make assault against healthcare workers and first responders an aggravating factor during sentencing. The bill's preamble acknowledges that violence against these essential workers is escalating and that they "deserve to feel protected and valued by the justice system."