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Message from the President – April 2025

1 Apr, 2025

There has been considerable change in the political landscape and Canadians will be going to the polls on April 28. The threats from south of the border regarding tariffs and annexation as well as the potential economic fallout are at the forefront of the political landscape. Although there seems to be one election issue, we cannot let the other important issues recede into the background. Better access to health care, particularly for women seeking care for reproductive and sexual health issues, mobility of health care workers between provinces and strengthening data collection on women’s health are all priorities for the society. Protecting and defending the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and marginalized groups is equally important.

The SOGC has developed a list of priorities that are important to present to the federal political parties and we will be seeking meetings with the main political parties and candidates to bring these priorities forward. As well, we will be encouraging Canadian women to vote and to study the platforms of the official political parties to know where each party stands on issues important to women. The turnout of registered voters in the 2019 federal election was 67 per cent (1). Women participated at a higher rate than men, 68.5 per cent versus 65.5 per cent, and this pattern was the same for all ages up to 65 years old (1). Women have power and a voice through going to the polls. Younger voters have a lower turnout at 53.9 per cent (1); they are the future, and we need them to vote.

World Health Day 2025 is Monday, April 7, and will kick off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. The campaign, entitled Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being. Based on currently published estimates, close to 300,000 women lose their lives due to pregnancy or childbirth each year, while over two million babies die in their first month of life and around two million more are stillborn. That’s roughly one preventable death every seven seconds (2).

The SOGC works to promote healthy women in many ways: public education, clinical guidelines, campaigns and other initiatives such as prevention of maternal mortality and morbidity and stillbirth. At a time when the health of mothers, babies and fetuses is being threatened through defunding of global aid, the WHO campaign is so relevant. The SOGC will continue to work toward the common goals of preventing stillbirths, maternal morbidity and mortality and promoting healthy pregnancies and postpartum period, women’s sexual health, rights and well-being.

Lastly, the 2025 Annual Clinical and Scientific (ACSC) meeting is being held in June in beautiful Whistler, B.C. Please register and come for the sessions, the science, the scenery and to socialize. The SOGC under the direction of Eve Duchesne, Director, Accreditation and Education, is working hard to put together an exciting and relevant meeting. As well, the board and staff have been working on our new strategic plan which will be ready for the ACSC. I think members will be excited to see what the plans are for the SOGC for the next three years.

I welcome your feedback, thoughts, and suggestions. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime at President@sogc.com.

Dr. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck  
SOGC President 

  1. Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. Elections Canada. Estimation of Voter Turnout by Age Group and Gender at the 2019 General Election; 2020. Access at: https://www.elections.ca/res/rec/eval/pes2019/vtsa2/vtsa2_e.pdf
  1. World Health Organization. World Health Day; 2025. Access at: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2025