Message from the President – October 2025
Summer is behind us, although the weather in most parts of Canada would make one think otherwise! For many, September brings change and busier schedules. For the SOGC, September was a month of advocacy, relationship-building and lobbying for the SOGC and its members.
Dr. Francoeur and I met with current federal minister of health, Hon. Marjorie Michel, to discuss the important issues affecting Canadian women and sexual reproductive health and rights in Canada. The SOGC has had a close working relationship with the previous government and previous ministers of health, and we look forward to continuing this relationship with the current government. However, it is clear that the priorities of the current administration are very different from those under Prime Minister Trudeau, and we have been told that the current government is one that is focused on the economy and therefore discussions and advocacy need to focus specifically on the economic benefits.
During our recent meeting with the Health Minister, we prioritized contraception needs of Canadian women based on data from the successful free contraception program in British Columbia. We also discussed the need for national data on women’s health indicators, as we do not know the magnitude of women’s health issues in Canada and information is essential for responsible allocation of resources. We also impressed upon the minister that Canadian women are unwell and can’t access women’s health care and gynaecological surgeries due to long wait lists – as a result they cannot fully contribute to the economy. The federal budget is set to come out on Nov. 4, and we will be waiting to see what it includes, but we are not optimistic there will be any new funding for programs or policies on women’s sexual and reproductive health. As an organization, we will be speaking to the budget and its contents when it is released.
Dr. Francoeur and I also testified at the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on a proposed Senate bill that aims to criminalize forced and coercive sterilization. Proponents of the proposed legislation have said the purpose of this bill (known as Bill S-228) is to send a strong message of deterrence and to repair both past and present wrongs. To be very clear, the SOGC is firmly against forced and coerced sterilization; it is ethically and morally wrong. But we believe criminalizing a medical procedure could have significant unintended consequences, as we have seen in the U.S.
In our testimony, we argued that criminalization has the potential to cause physicians to hesitate when offering lifesaving care, such as hysterectomy for postpartum hemorrhage. We do not want to see physicians hesitate in these lifesaving procedures while they consider whether they could be potentially charged with the potential for 14 years in prison. Also, when the procedure is criminalized, physicians consider whether they are willing to take the risk to perform tubal ligations even in non-emergency cases. This bill has the potential to limit access to these kinds of reproductive health services for women, particularly those who are Indigenous and from marginalized groups.
That’s why the SOGC feels that criminalization does not truly address the problems surrounding informed consent and how we ensure we obtain consent with every patient. We need to work with Indigenous women, Elders and those from vulnerable and marginalized groups to address the issues of consent when it comes to these procedures. Provincial licensing bodies also hold responsibility in addressing this issue. We will continue to lobby and advocate for this.
Meanwhile, I look forward to seeing you in Toronto at the Ontario CME next month. We have an exciting program of engaging presentations and opportunities to connect with colleagues from across Ontario. Register today – you won’t want to miss it.
Please feel free to reach out to me at president@sogc.com
Dr. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck
SOGC President