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e-2729 (Health)
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the Government of Canada
- Environmental Sensitivities (ES) is the umbrella term for disabling Environmental Illness (EI), Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, and Toxic Mould Exposure (also known as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) and mould illness), and others;
- Approximately 3% of Canadians have been diagnosed with EI/ES in 2007;
- 1,008,400 Canadians were diagnosed with MCS in 2016, according to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS);
- Many who develop EI/ES cannot maintain employment, nor access suitable nontoxic housing, air, food, water, clothing, assistive devices (i.e. organic bed, air filtration/ventilation, EMF tools), health care, telehealth, or other basic necessities due to systemic accessibility barriers; and
- Government and medical forms do not contain a diagnostic or billing fee code for these conditions, or include mention in lists of disabilities, despite the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) and the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) recognition, so many people completely fall through every crack and cannot access any of the assistance that is granted to other Canadians who fall ill or live with a disability.
the Minister of Health
Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren Fisher
The World Health Organization (WHO) develops the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) in consultation with medical experts and scientists at a global level. Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Institute for Health Information, and Statistics Canada continue to work with the WHO in advancing the Canadian perspective regarding the ICD.
Protecting the health and safety of Canadians from harmful substances and pollution is a priority for the Government of Canada. Under the Chemicals Management Plan, the Government of Canada assesses and manages chemicals to reduce risks to human health and the environment. Risk assessments take into consideration various factors, including potential harms to the general public and vulnerable populations. These assessments, and any subsequent risk management actions, are based on the most up-to-date scientific evidence and other relevant information available at the time of assessment.
Some of the issues raised in the petition fall within the jurisdiction of provincial or municipal authorities, such as medical care access and policies for public indoor spaces. These authorities would be best placed in responding to those concerns.
October 28, 2020 (Petition No. 432-00177)
