Pregnancy loss dignity protocol
Sign on the House of Commons websitePetitioners ask the Government of Canada to develop and implement a Pregnancy Loss Dignity Protocol for federal institutions and to urge provinces and territories to review policies so families receive clear, respectful options.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would ensure families in federal settings receive clear, written, compassionate information and lawful options after pregnancy loss, reducing uncertainty during grief.
- A formal protocol would standardize trauma‑informed communication and require appropriate cultural, spiritual and faith accommodations in federally administered institutions.
- By inviting provincial and territorial review, it could encourage more consistent hospital and burial/cremation policies across jurisdictions.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Implementing protocols across federal institutions may impose administrative costs and training burdens that challenge timely rollout.
- Health delivery is largely provincial; federal measures may have limited reach and could duplicate or conflict with provincial policies.
- Developing operational standards for diverse cultural and religious practices is complex and risks inconsistent implementation without adequate resources or guidance.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada Families who experience miscarriage, stillbirth, pregnancy termination, or other pregnancy loss do not always receive clear, compassionate, trauma-informed information about lawful options for the respectful disposition of pregnancy remains; Such options may include burial, cremation, collective memorialization, religious or cultural rites, spiritual care, or other lawful arrangements consistent with conscience, culture, faith, and grief; Federal health-service settings, federally administered health-care programs, and directly federally funded institutions, including the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Correctional Service Canada, should provide clear written information, compassionate communication, and appropriate faith and cultural accommodation after pregnancy loss; and No family should be left alone, in the middle of grief, to ask whether their child can be treated with dignity. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Develop and implement a Pregnancy Loss Dignity Protocol within areas of federal jurisdiction, including federal health-service settings, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Correctional Service Canada, and other relevant federally administered or directly federally funded institutions; and 2. Encourage provincial and territorial health ministers to review their hospital, clinic, health-authority, burial, cremation, and pregnancy-loss policies to ensure that families receive clear information and respectful options after pregnancy loss.
Government response
No government response is available yet.