“I want the House to pass this bill to send it to a committee. It makes health software companies share medical records across Canada. Right now, doctors and patients cannot easily share records, and that puts patients at risk. This bill makes companies use the same digital standards and stops them from blocking data, while still protecting people's privacy.”

“moved that Bill S-5, An Act respecting the interoperability of health information technology and to prohibit data blocking by health information technology vendors, be read the second time and referred to a committee. She said: Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today to speak to Bill S-5, the connected care for Canadians act. Timely and secure access to personal health information is critical to saving lives and improving care for Canadians. This act is part of our government’s plan to build up and protect the health care system and empower Canadians to have more control over their health. The main focus of Bill S-5 is patient safety. When health care systems are not interconnected, they are not only inefficient, but they also pose a clinical risk for Canadians. Things like undetected allergies, incomplete medication history and lost or delayed test results can lead to misdiagnosis and potentially life-threatening consequences. Even today, fewer than 13% of Canadians say they have electronic access to all their medical records. In Canada, in 2026, the fax machine remains the primary means for sharing health information between health care facilities. Only 52% of health care providers say that they share their patients’ health information electronically outside their office. The main obstacle they cite is a lack of interoperability. Consider what that means for patients. Patients should not have to remember their entire medical history or repeat it every time they consult a new health care provider. Furthermore, health care providers should not have to rely on incomplete information to make clinical decisions. A survey by the Canadian Medical Association found that 92% of practising physicians in Canada said that the lack of coordination between health care systems was hindering their ability to provide care. That is unacceptable, and it needs to change. Through Bill S-5, we can make technology work for Canadians, improving lives, improving care and building a more efficient health care system ready for the future. Australia and the European Union have already implemented similar legislation or regulations. Their residents have benefited from connected health care for years. If we act now, we can ensure that Canadians have access to the connected care they need and deserve. I would like to clarify what this bill would do. At present, the sharing of health information in Canada is hampered by the lack of common standards across the country. Bill S-5 would promote interconnected health care by requiring IT vendors in Canada’s digital health sector to adopt common data standards. It would also prohibit data blocking. Data blocking means restricting access to, use of or sharing of health information among authorized parties, such as patients and their health care providers, when privacy laws would otherwise permit it. In other words, Bill S-5 would help identify the barriers preventing patients and their health care providers from securely accessing the health information they need, when they need it. All of this would be achieved while preserving existing privacy protections and personal information safeguards. Access to health information is not a matter of convenience. It is a necessity. Data saves lives, especially when a full medical history is needed in an emergency. Let me share the stories of real patients and their families. They have experienced the devastating consequences of disconnected care in Canada. Theresa lost her son, Dan, who was only 17, after two visits to the emergency department. She believes real-time access to his file would have helped the family flag critical details sooner. Another patient requiring an urgent surgical procedure outside her home province was compromised because the local medical team could not access vital records from her home province. Without this essential medical history, clinicians were unable to safely perform the procedure. There is the story of Greg Price, whose legacy has been an inspiration for many of us working on this legislation. Greg was a healthy engineer from Alberta who faced systemic failures in our health care system. Like many others, he experienced delays due to poor coordination and inaccessible health information. He died of cancer in 2012. He was 31. This is why today’s legislation is so important. We need to break down those silos, so we are changing the rules and we are building the health data infrastructure Canadians deserve. Bill S‑5 would also reduce the day-to-day administrative burden on our health care professionals. According to a survey conducted by the Canadian Medical Association, physicians report that they waste an average of 86 minutes a day searching for patient data. That is almost an hour and a half a day. Time spent printing and sorting documents is time that health care professionals do not spend on what they should be doing and what they want to do: caring for people. Several OECD countries modernized their data laws years ago to allow for the secure transmission of health data, but Canada is lagging behind. This is important not only for patient care but also for the future of innovation within our health care system. Canada has implemented a near-universal medical records system. Things have to change, especially in light of artificial intelligence. Realizing the transformative potential and the growing importance of artificial intelligence, the Government of Canada recently published Canada’s new national artificial intelligence strategy, known as “AI for All”. Health and life sciences are one of the priority sectors under the strategy, given AI’s potential to improve patient care, accelerate diagnostics and support the development of new treatments. However, AI’s effectiveness depends on the quality of the data it uses. To unleash AI’s potential in the health care field, it must have access to anonymized, standardized high-quality data that can be used responsibly and shared in total safety. With Bill S-5, we can create the standardized database that is essential to a modern health care system. Fragmented digital health systems lead to costly requirements across various regions. Health information technology vendors have to build customized models to make their products work in every province and territory. This limits their ability to grow in the Canadian market. Vendors have been clear about the need to address interoperability challenges in Canada. By establishing clear and consistent national requirements, Bill S-5 would make Canada more predictable and attractive for businesses in the digital health sector. Rather than having to adapt to different requirements in each province and territory, vendors could operate within a single internationally harmonized framework. This would reduce complexity while encouraging innovation and investment. It would also help Canadian businesses grow domestically and compete globally. Canadians must also be able to trust that their personal medical records will be secure and protected. That is exactly what Bill S-5 aims to do. The bill would not amend federal, provincial or territorial laws governing the use of personal health information. Access to personal health information would continue to be governed by existing privacy laws, and only authorized users would be able to access their patients’ medical records. It is important to note that Bill S-5 also respects indigenous data sovereignty and will in no way alter the ownership, control or governance of the health data of first nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. As technology evolves, it is essential to protect Canadians’ privacy. That is why our government has also introduced Bill C-36, the protecting privacy and consumer data act, to modernize Canada’s private sector privacy legislation for the digital age. Bill C-36 reinforces our commitment to responsible innovation, economic growth, and the protection of Canadians’ rights in the digital age. Co-operation with the provinces and territories is key. I am already working with my provincial and territorial counterparts to develop the regulations. However, the federal framework will not apply to provinces and territories that already have similar conditions. I welcome our shared commitment to interoperable digital solutions that enhance connectivity in our health care system. Gaps in access to and sharing of health data create unnecessary and unacceptable risks. Canadians continue to face challenges when navigating the health care system. Canadians strongly support change and want better access to their own health data. This bill is part of our government’s plan to build up and protect the health care system and empower Canadians to have more control over their health. This is great news for our country. That is why I am calling on all members of the House to work together to pass Bill S‑5. I want to thank the Senate for voting to pass it.”

“I want the House to pass this bill now. It has taken too long to get here. We need good health data so Canada does not fall behind with new technology like AI.”

“Madam Speaker, what I can say is that when I took office, work had already been done on the bill. It had died on the Order Paper, but I immediately revived it. We started discussions with the provinces and territories to ensure that we could move the bill forward. The bill was first introduced in the Senate, and now that the Senate has passed it, we are moving it forward in the House. I understand what my colleague is saying, and I agree that this has taken too long. However, I think now is the time, and we cannot wait any longer. Given all of the technological advances, such as AI, if we do not have good data, then we will be at risk, and Canada will fall even further behind.”

“This bill will not interfere with provincial health care. Provinces with their own rules on health data, like Quebec and Ontario, do not have to opt out. This federal law will only apply where provinces do not already have similar laws.”

“Madam Speaker, I was expecting a question along those lines. My colleague did not hear my speech, but I made it very clear that any provinces and territories that already have their own regulations will not have to opt out of Bill S-5. The federal government will not interfere with the delivery of health care services by the provinces and territories. The law is complementary, applying only in cases where a province or territory does not already have comparable legislation. At present, Quebec and Ontario already have their own legislation in place.”

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“I want the House to pass this bill quickly and send it to committee. Once it passes, we can finish making the rules with the provinces and territories. If we act fast, that work could be done in less than a year.”

“Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for working with us to move this bill forward. I know how important this bill is to him. Today is a positive step forward. The bill has already passed the Senate and is now before the House, which will refer it to a committee. Once the bill has been passed, we will be able to develop the regulations. We have already started working with the provinces and territories, but this will allow us to formalize that work. While it will still take several months to put the regulations in place, if the bill is passed quickly, I expect the entire process could be completed in less than a year.”

“I support this bill. The federal government does not run hospitals, but it still has a duty to lead on health care. I want the minister to explain how sharing health data helps research, patients, and health workers.”

“Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by congratulating my esteemed colleague, the Minister of Health, for all her leadership on this issue. I can tell her that, yes, we have been waiting a long time for this bill, but now we are truly moving in the right direction, and we are doing so quickly. The Canadian government is playing a leadership role. It is not responsible for managing hospitals, but it has a role to play in health care and public health. I would like her to elaborate on an issue that we do not talk about often enough: the fact that data is important to health research, which is, in turn, important to clinical care, benefiting both patients and health care professionals.”

“Good data helps us make better health care decisions and helps research. This bill makes sure health data is collected the same way across the country. That will help researchers study it better. I support this bill.”

“Madam Speaker, I have been talking about data ever since I became the Minister of Health. Reliable data is essential to making good health care decisions with respect to both service delivery and research. When data is harmonized, researchers can collect it in the same way across the country. This bill will help us do that. It will harmonize how data is collected. All the data will speak the same language, and researchers will be able to analyze it in a consistent fashion. This bill will be beneficial in that regard.”

“I want this bill to pass. Ontario and Quebec already have laws for sharing health records, but technology companies still block the data. This bill will force companies to share health data inside provinces and between them.”

“Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question because it allows me to clarify a few things. Yes, Ontario and Quebec already have a legislative framework in this area. However, the data is still blocked by the vendors. Unblocking this data will allow us to share it, and that is what makes all the difference, both within a single province and between provinces. Bill S-5 will still have an impact in Ontario. What I meant to say is that Ontario and Quebec have already adopted legislation to improve the interoperability of their own health care systems. They have already started putting procedures in place. However, Bill S-5 will require vendors to unblock data, and sharing the data is going to change things.”

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“This bill will save lives across Canada. Patients want access to their own medical records. How will this bill help them get that access?”

“Madam Speaker, I want to thank the hon. minister for her leadership on this very important bill. We all know that this bill is going to save lives across Canada. I would also like to ask the minister a question about access to our own health data. We know that Canadian patients want access to their own medical records. How might Bill S-5 facilitate that?”

“About one in four Canadians can see their health records right now. This bill will force companies to share health data so doctors and patients can access it.”

“Madam Speaker, nearly 25% of Canadians currently have access to their health data, and the same mechanism will apply here. Bill S-5 will require vendors to unblock data, which will enable the various health care systems to make the data available to doctors and patients.”

“I am glad the member supports the idea behind this bill. We can learn from past technology mistakes. We can fix the details of this bill in committee. Does he think the House will pass this bill, since the Senate already supported it?”

“Madam Speaker, I appreciate that the member clearly indicated that how health information technology is handled is absolutely critical and that he supports the principle of the legislation. I am encouraged by that. In terms of the whole mismanagement area, it was the Harper government that brought in Phoenix. There is no escaping that. In other words, there are ways in which, no doubt, we can learn from past experiences in order to advance the principle of a good idea. I appreciate the member’s knowledge, I must say. I am quite impressed with his background and his understanding of the urgency of this. I believe that it would be best addressed at the committee stage. I wonder if he could provide his thoughts on whether he thinks this legislation will pass, given that the Senate has already supported it in principle.”

“I want to know what the member thinks about sharing health data. Would giving scientists and doctors better access to data help them develop and use new technologies?”

“Madam Speaker, I was also very pleased and very interested by the speech we just heard from someone who obviously knows and cares very much about how health care systems work and should operate. I am curious to hear his point of view on the connection between research, science and health, health data and health clinical work. Does he believe that providing better access to data to researchers, scientists and health experts could lead to better development of technologies and better use of those technologies?”

“Will the Conservatives vote to send this bill to committee?”

“Madam Speaker, I have a fairly straightforward question. I hope we get the same sort of an answer. The member talked originally about the principle of the legislation being something he appreciated. Then, when he answered my question, at the tail end he planted the seed of doubt as to whether the Conservatives would want to see the legislation go to committee. Can the member indicate whether the Conservative Party will be voting in favour of the legislation to go to committee?”

“Health data can save lives, but big companies block access across provincial borders. The member agreed the bill's goal is good and that the federal government must show leadership. Has she spoken with health data experts in her riding about these barriers?”

“Madam Speaker, I thank our colleague for her excellent speech. I would note two useful points. First, she said that the bill’s objective is noble. Second, she said that the Canadian government has to show leadership in health care across the country, including in Quebec. I would like to ask her whether she has had an opportunity in recent months to speak with researchers or experts in her riding who work on health data about the importance of having access to these data, and about the extent to which technological barriers put in place by large companies—barriers that often transcend the borders of a single province—can make accessing these critical data difficult, knowing full well that data can save lives.”

“I support this bill. It helps health systems share data across provinces, which helps patients who get care outside their home province. Quebec already manages data this way, and this bill makes health data consistent across Canada. I do not understand why the member opposes it.”

“Madam Speaker, better data collection and interoperability, and therefore better dialogue between systems, will ultimately benefit the health of Canadians, including Quebeckers. As we know, these things do not happen in a vacuum. Some Quebeckers might have consultations in Ontario or New Brunswick, just as people from other provinces might have consultations in Quebec. I welcome the idea of having a health care system that is more connected in terms of data sharing, because it represents progress. In fact, if we look at the Quebec model for data management, it is already pretty much in line with what is set out in Bill S-5, and it will ensure greater consistency, and therefore comparability, of data right across the country. I wish I could understand why my colleague appears to oppose improved data collection, which will benefit the entire population.”

“The member is confused. This bill does not affect decisions made by the Quebec government. It regulates tech companies that block patients and health care workers from getting their data.”

“Madam Speaker, there seems to be some confusion in the remarks made by my colleague, for whom I have a great deal of respect. This has nothing to do with the decisions made by the Government of Quebec. What this bill aims to do is regulate the activities of organizations, including multinationals, that are unfortunately restricting access to data needed by patients and health care professionals. Does my colleague acknowledge that there is some confusion in what he said? The Quebec government is not the target here; technology companies are.”

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“I want the House to pass this bill. It stops tech companies from blocking medical records and makes them use the same computer standards. This lets doctors share patient files safely across Canada, which prevents medical mistakes and helps researchers.”

“Madam Speaker, it is great to see you here today. I will be sharing my time with the member for Bourassa. I rise today to support Bill S-5, the connected care for Canadians act, which is crucial to establishing a connected health care system in Canada. In Canada, health information is fragmented and is scattered among hundreds of health information systems across family doctor offices, hospitals, walk-in clinics and pharmacies. Bill S-5 would break down these digital barriers so a patient’s health information could move securely and seamlessly wherever they receive care. It means that patients would no longer have to physically carry medical records from one doctor’s appointment to another or repeatedly explain their medical history every time they seek care. Bill S-5 is also about making the health care system work better for Canadians. It would unlock the potential of standardized and anonymized health data to accelerate medical breakthroughs and improve health outcomes for all Canadians. Health information in Canada is often stuck in separate digital systems that cannot be easily shared, first, because of data blocking, a practice that prevents authorized users from accessing health data even when privacy legislation allows it, and, second, because of a lack of common standards. For example, one hospital’s database could record a patient’s blood type using a numeric code, another could use an alphanumeric code, and a third hospital might use a written description. All three could mean exactly the same thing, but without common standards, their computer systems might not recognize each other’s blood type entries. To address this, Bill S-5 would require health information vendors in Canada to adopt common standards and would prohibit vendors from data blocking. These standards would be set out and maintained through regulations, with requirements that would ensure secure access for patients within the protection of existing security law. This is the approach used in other jurisdictions as well, such as Australia, the United States and the European Union. Bill S-5 would build on the shared pan-Canadian interoperability road map, already endorsed by provinces and territories, and on the working together to improve health care for Canadians plan, which committed nearly $200 billion over 10 years, with modernizing health data as one of four shared priorities. When somebody sees a new doctor, they are asked for their medical history. Bill S-5 would enable patients and their doctors to access health records electronically, no matter where in Canada patients receive care. This is connected care. Doctors’ being able to access electronic health records is critical to the continuity of care. Without a seamless exchange of information between systems and providers, the burden of health information falls to patients and their families. Moreover, the lack of access to a patient’s medical records increases the risks of misdiagnoses, medication errors, duplicate testing and treatment delays. Take, for example, patients in rural and remote communities or patients with very complex conditions who are referred to hospitals in major urban centres for advanced diagnostic procedures, complex treatments and highly specialized medical care. Oftentimes these patients arrive in serious condition, usually with photocopies of their health records, and the information is often incomplete. Patients with a language barrier or limited medical familiarity shoulder the burden of coordinating their own care because there is no digital connection between our health information systems. In all these cases, important health information is often missing or inaccessible. Unfortunately, this happens very often. Bill S-5 would help support these patients with a more coordinated and integrated health care system, with accurate and accessible data so doctors can make clinical decisions with complete information and provide the health care Canadians deserve. In today’s rapidly evolving world of medical research and innovation, large, high-quality data sets are the foundation of medical breakthroughs such as accelerating drug discoveries and enabling earlier disease detection. For example, the quality, quantity and representativeness of the data sets largely determines how accurately a health AI model performs in real-world settings. Our government’s national AI strategy, AI for all, recognizes data as a strategic national asset that must be responsibly stewarded and mobilized to support innovation and productivity across the economy. Our health care system generates a vast amount of health data, spanning diverse populations, medical conditions and care settings. By leveraging our standardized and anonymized health data, Canadian researchers have an opportunity to become global leaders in medical research and health innovation, driving medical breakthroughs and improving health outcomes for all Canadians. Currently, much of this data remains fragmented in disconnected systems. By securely unlocking its potential by applying common standards, our medical researchers can drive breakthroughs in disease detection, treatment and improved hospital efficiency. For example, in my riding of Don Valley North, we are fortunate to have North York General Hospital, Canada’s top-ranked community academic hospital. It partnered with a Canadian health AI company, and by leveraging the data it has collected from the emergency department, it has trained an AI model that analyzes real-time patient vitals, waiting times, triage assessments and hospital capacity to identify where patients can receive care sooner. This has cut the average emergency wait time by nearly 28%. Data can save lives. The knowledge that can be unlocked from our health data sets has the power to transform our health care system. Better health data means a more accessible and innovative health care system. That is why Bill S-5 is such a consequential piece of legislation, and I believe it is a practical path forward that would serve the best interests of all Canadians.”

“Cybersecurity is very important as online threats and AI grow. This bill stops companies from blocking health data, and it will respect provincial and territorial privacy laws. We will keep working with the provinces and territories as we write the rules.”

“Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question. As I mentioned in my speech, in a rapidly evolving world with a lot of cybersecurity threats, and with the development of AI, security is definitely top of mind for all of us. The legislation, at the core of it, would block the ability of vendors to block data, while respecting provinces’ and territories’ ability to also operate within their privacy laws and acts. We are very mindful of that. We will continue to work with the provinces and territories as we write out the regulations, while respecting the provincial and territorial jurisdictions.”

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“I want the member to explain how a more connected health care system will help Canadians who struggle to get care, especially people in rural and remote areas.”

“Madam Speaker, I am curious as to whether the member for Don Valley North can comment on how a more connected health care system, through Bill S-5, could help Canadians facing barriers to care, especially those living in rural and remote communities across Canada.”

“I want this bill to pass. It lets doctors share medical records easily. When patients have to remember their own medical history, it can lead to mistakes and dangerous delays.”

“Madam Speaker, I mentioned a few examples in my speech of frustration with always having to remember one’s medical care record or the history of one’s procedures. We have all experienced that. Sometimes we forget, sometimes we may have remembered things wrong, and it proves a hindrance to our care. Sometimes it causes delays, really dangerous delays. We heard the minister mention the example of Theresa and her family. We want to avoid that. As we continue to have discussions with providers, doctors and clinicians are telling us about the importance of having the legislation passed because it would enable data sharing. It would enable more connected care. It would help them facilitate care that is more beneficial to the health outcomes of patients. We are very optimistic about the future of more connected care in Canada that the bill would enable.”

“We should pass this bill. It is long overdue and lets patients see their own health records. I want my colleague to explain how this bill helps patients.”

“Madam Speaker, I believe it is important that we advance the legislation. Back in the nineties, I was the health care critic in the province of Manitoba. Even back then, we were talking about having better access and about patients being able to see their records. I see the legislation as modernizing something that is long overdue. It is in the patient’s best interest. Could my colleague provide her thoughts on the patient’s best interest and how the bill would support that?”