Justice minister says he'll 'look at' federal policy restricting gay men from donating sperm
CTV
Justice Minister David Lametti says he will "look at" a federal policy that restricts gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, after CTV News exclusively reported on Wednesday that a gay man is taking the federal government to court over it.
Justice Minister David Lametti says he will "look at" a federal policy that restricts gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, after CTV News exclusively reported on Wednesday that a gay man is taking the federal government to court over it.
"I've [been] made aware of the issue this morning when I read the papers, and certainly, we live in a charter society," Lametti told reporters on Parliament Hill on Thursday. "This is certainly something that we will look at."
Toronto man Aziz M. is challenging the constitutionality of the policy on the basis that it violates the right to equality in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Out of concern for his privacy, CTV News has agreed not to use his full name.
Before coming out as gay he was able to donate to a sperm bank and helped a lesbian couple start their family. But now, because of a Health Canada directive he alleges is discriminatory, he's no longer able to help other families do the same, despite a donor shortage in this country.
Under the "Safety of Sperm and Ova Regulation," sperm banks operating in Canada must deem any prospective sperm donors who have had sex with another man in the preceding three months as "unsuitable," despite all donations being subject to screening, testing and a six-month quarantine before they can be used.
While the directive does not mention transgender or non-binary donors, the policy also applies to individuals who may not identify as male but would be categorized as men under the directive.
It's a blanket policy that the man bringing the legal challenge says makes him feel like a "second-class citizen."