CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

Several events promoted the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health to undertake this study of the state of organ and tissue donation in Canada. Motion 222, presented by Keith Martin, Member of Parliament for Esquimalt - Juan de Fuca, proposed four steps to address Canada's organ donation problem and received the unanimous endorsement of the House of Commons on October 9, 1997. Subsequently the Committee asked for a progress report from the Department of Health on steps taken to address the concerns raised by Motion 222. When Health Canada officials appeared on November 24, 1998 to provide the report, the Committee also received a letter from the Honourable Allan Rock, Minister of Health, requesting its advice on the appropriate role for the federal government in addressing this issue.

Committee members agreed to the Minister of Health's suggestion and adopted the following terms of reference proposed by him for the study:

• To consult, analyze and make recommendations regarding the state of organ and tissue donation in Canada;
• To consult broadly with stakeholders, including, but not limited to, provinces, transplant centres, medical personnel, patients, families, organ and tissue retrieval organizations and international experts;
• To consider the appropriate role for the federal government in the development of national safety, outcome and process standards for organ and tissue donations, as well as in the promoting of public and professional awareness and knowledge regarding organ and tissue donation, procurement and transplantation; and
• To consider the legislative and regulatory regimes governing organ and tissue donations in other countries.

In setting their work plan for this study, committee members were sensitive to the need for immediate action. As a result, it was decided that the Committee should work at an accelerated pace. The Committee adopted a plan that allowed for two months of public hearings, when it heard from over 100 individuals. In addition, it received written briefs from other individuals and organizations. These witnesses represented the full spectrum of those involved in the process including, but not limited to, researchers, ethicists, individuals involved in the procurement, banking and transplantation of organs and tissues, governmental officials, as well as individual recipients and family members of recipients or donors. Committee members are most grateful to all the international witnesses and to the Canadians who demonstrated their commitment to improving organ and tissue donation in Canada by adjusting their demanding schedules and for providing frank and comprehensive testimony.