The Trudeau government is finding it harder than expected to end a discriminatory blood ban.
Health Minister Patty Hajdu said she was surprised to learn the government couldn’t just tell Canada Blood Services what to do.
“The government of Canada doesn’t get to make that decision until Canada Blood Services presents a request to the government of Canada. In fact, it can’t happen until there is that request because there are regulations and actually legislation. That legislation says the government of Canada can’t compel Canadian Blood Service to do their business through a political lens,” Hajdu said.
The health minister said they’ve provided money for research to the CBS so they can move towards a behaviour-based screening model that doesn’t single out gay and bi men in their donations.
Currently, the CBS requires gay and bi men to abstain from sex for three months before donating blood. In May of 2019, the CBS dropped the donation deferral period down from a year.
The issue was raised at a northwestern Ontario pride town hall Thursday night involving the region’s pride organizations, local MPs and federal ministers.
