News Release - WASYLYCIA-LEIS PRESENTS HUMAN RIGHTS BILL TO OUTLAW GENETIC DISCRIMINATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEDBRUARY 25, 2010

WASYLYCIA-LEIS PRESENTS HUMAN RIGHTS BILL TO OUTLAW GENETIC DISCRIMINATION

WINNIPEG -- New Democrat Health Critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis (Winnipeg North) today unveiled her new human rights bill that would prohibit discrimination on the grounds of someone’s genetic characteristics.

“This bill will stop Canadians’ personal genetic information from being used against them,” says Wasylycia-Leis. “Employers, insurance companies and others have already begun to discriminate against people on the basis of their genetic make-up. People are being punished in fundamental ways, like earning a living and buying a house, for something they have no control over. That’s unfair and this bill will update the Canadian Human Rights Act to deal with this 21st century problem.”

Health conscious Canadians are increasingly testing for genetic clues so they can take steps to avoid diseases or conditions to which they may have a genetic pre-disposition. Their reward, instead of just better health, is exclusion from job opportunities, access to mortgages and insurance benefits based on these test results. There’s currently nothing to prevent insurance companies and others from demanding and basing decisions on genetic testing.

“Unless genetic test results are protected,” says Wasylycia-Leis, “there’s a real danger that Canadians will just refuse to be tested, putting their health at risk.”

“To make matters worse, Canadians are now being bombarded with ads for unregulated commercial genetic testing. The results may be questionable and, without professional counselling, may lead to unwarranted concern or inappropriate decisions – and the results can still be used to discriminate against them.”

Wasylycia-Leis was joined at a news conference about her bill by representatives of the Huntington Society of Canada, Parkinson Society of Manitoba and other members of the Canadian Coalition for Genetic Fairness, an alliance of 15 advocacy and service organizations dedicated to preventing genetic discrimination in Canada.