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Brown urges Kenney to oppose the bill that would repeal the Voluntary Blood Donations Act.
Ottawa (26 June 2020) — Last week, the Alberta legislature was given notice of a private member’s bill to repeal the Voluntary Blood Donations Act.
Larry Brown, President of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), has written a letter to Premier Jason Kenney expressing concern about the harmful impact this would have on the blood collection system, as well as, on the blood supply.
Maintain the ban on paid blood and plasma
“When the act was introduced in 2017,” Brown wrote, “Alberta joined other provinces in banning the practice of paying donors for their blood and plasma. Repealing the act would be a step backwards.”
“It would directly contravene the findings of the 1997 Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada (Krever Commission). The Krever Commission was unequivocal that blood is a public resource and that donors should not be paid.”
Preserve the safety of the blood supply
“NUPGE strongly opposes a for-profit collection model,” Brown wrote. “We believe that Canadians do not want to risk another tainted-blood scandal and that for-profit corporations should not be allowed to undermine our voluntary, donation-based system."
Brown urged Kenney to oppose the bill that would repeal the Voluntary Blood Donations Act. He called on Kenney “to protect the safety of the blood supply and the integrity of the voluntary collection system."