New Medal for Living Organ Donors

Summary#

This bill creates a federal Living Donor Recognition Medal. It honors Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have donated one or more organs (defined broadly to include any human tissue) in Canada during their lifetime. The Governor in Council sets the design, eligibility rules by regulation, and awards the medal. A minister must report each year on how many medals were given.

• Establishes an official medal and ribbon for living organ donors (Establishment; Design of Medal).
• Limits eligibility to living citizens or permanent residents who donated in Canada; one medal per person (Award of Medal (1)–(2)).
• Excludes Senators and Members of Parliament, and any persons/classes set by regulation (Award of Medal (3)).
• Requires public presentation “whenever possible” by a Crown representative, Senator, or MP (Awards ceremony).
• Allows regulations for nominations, presentation, exclusions, and post‑nominals (letters after a name) (Regulations (a)–(d)).
• Requires an annual report to Parliament on the number of recipients and a one‑year implementation report (Annual report; Implementation).

What it means for you#

• Households

  • If you are a living organ donor who donated in Canada and you are a citizen or permanent resident, you may be eligible for one medal after the Act takes effect (Award of Medal (1)–(2)).
  • If you donated outside Canada, you would not be eligible under this bill (Award of Medal (1)).
  • Details on how to be nominated and verified will come later in regulations (Regulations (a)).

• Workers

  • Health care staff may be asked to help verify donations for nominations, depending on the process set by regulation. The bill does not specify procedures (Regulations (a); Data unavailable on process details).

• Businesses

  • No direct obligations or benefits are created for businesses. The bill concerns honors, not commerce (Entire bill).

• Local and provincial governments

  • No mandates are placed on provinces or municipalities. Federal authorities manage the medal program. Coordination needs, if any, will be set by regulation (Regulations).

• Service users

  • Medal recipients may be invited to public ceremonies. The bill encourages public presentation “whenever possible,” which could raise awareness of organ donation (Awards ceremony).
  • If regulations allow post‑nominals, recipients may use letters after their names to indicate the honor (Regulations (d)).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• The bill includes no appropriation or cost estimate (Entire bill).
• It creates ongoing federal duties: designing the medal, running nominations and awards, hosting public presentations “whenever possible,” and preparing annual and implementation reports (Design of Medal; Regulations; Awards ceremony; Annual report; Implementation).
• Data unavailable on expected number of recipients per year, unit costs for medals or ceremonies, or administrative staffing.

Proponents' View#

• Recognizes exceptional altruism by living donors who often act at personal risk and without reward (Preamble).
• May promote awareness of organ donation and encourage more donors through public ceremonies and official honors (Preamble; Awards ceremony).
• Could reduce pressure on the health care system if recognition increases donations, as noted in the preamble (Preamble).
• Annual reporting creates transparency and allows Parliament to track uptake (Annual report).
• Allowing post‑nominals by regulation can provide lasting, visible recognition in daily life (Regulations (d)).

Opponents' View#

• The bill defines “organ” to include “any form of human tissue,” which is broad and could create uncertainty about eligibility until regulations clarify scope (Definitions).
• Limits eligibility to donations made in Canada, excluding citizens or permanent residents who donated abroad; critics may see this as unfair (Award of Medal (1)).
• Excludes Senators and MPs from receiving the medal even if they are eligible donors, which some may view as inconsistent with universal recognition (Award of Medal (3)(a)–(b)).
• The bill does not set privacy rules for handling sensitive medical information in the nomination and verification process; details are left to future regulations (Regulations (a); Data unavailable on privacy safeguards).
• No cost estimate or budget is provided, so Parliament and the public cannot assess the scale of spending needed for medals, ceremonies, and administration (Entire bill).