Significant policy shifts have been made, but government still leaving surrogacy families behind

OTTAWA—In what feels like a lifetime ago, I worked on the very federal government policy that I write about today: extended parental benefits for Canadian families. Despite the goodwill, new parents who build their families via surrogacy can’t access these benefits in the same way other Canadian parents can. I’ve written before about my surrogacy journey, so this cause is dear to me. A critical change has been overlooked and it’s now time to fix it. I am sure that one of the most thoughtful ministers in the federal cabinet, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough, who is responsible for Employment and Social Development Canada, will understand why equality matters here. Indeed, Canada offers some of the best paid parental leave in the world. Right now, most families benefit from 12 to 18 months of time off to bond with and care for their child. This time is split into two buckets—the first is 15 weeks of maternity leave for the birth giver, and second is 35 weeks on the standard parental leave plan or 61 on the extended parental leave plan. But what happens if a woman does not give birth to her own child? In the case of surrogacy, which impacted families like mine, I would only qualify for 35 weeks of paid parental leave. This is only eight months for a parent to nurse, care for or bond with their child. Any other woman birthing her own child would qualify for at least a full year. Surrogacy is a path most commonly chosen by individuals who have struggled with infertility and LGBTQ2 couples. Both of these groups not only face marginalization, but also face an increased cost to becoming parents. While surrogacy in Canada is not commercial, it is still costly to families. Legal fees, agency fees, reimbursements to surrogates for pregnancy-related expenses, and IVF costs combined can often reach $100,000, with no guarantee of a live birth. Parents who have sunk their life savings into having their baby are often not in a position to take on additional unpaid leave, if their employer will even allow it. EI modernization central to the last Liberal platform The numerous benefits to a child of having their primary caregiver home in the first year of life are not lost on this government. I know it wasn’t lost on me when I worked on the initial extension two decades ago now. Studies show that the brain development of infants depends on a loving bond with their primary caregiver, and that this relationship has lifelong impact on their social, emotional, and cognitive abilities as well as their future mental health. With this in mind, it only makes sense to support all Canadians infants in having their parent home in the first year of life. In the last federal election, the Liberals campaigned to make parental leave more inclusive for some families, extending a full year's leave to parents pursuing adoption. This is part of a greater Employment Insurance modernization package that will assist self-employed Canadians, those changing careers, and folks in the gig economy. Parents of adopted children will soon be offered a ‘top up’ to support them in offering the same level of care for their children as other parents. This is a positive step but this doesn’t help all families. It leaves families like mine, and so many others, with eight precious months before they have to scramble to find child care and make their way back to work. Government policy continues to completely overlook one group of children, with a significant and lasting negative impact on many families across Canada, who have already worked hard—truly fought—to become parents. These same families also must also contend with a complicated Canadian surrogacy landscape. Marginalized Canadians who face increased costs to parenthood are suffering the most Parents by surrogacy are no different than other new parents in their desire to support the optimal well-being of their new babies. As a society, we recognize and support new parents in taking the 12 to 18 months of leave that fits their family’s needs. Qualtrough’s mandate letter discusses implementing a modernized EI system for the 21st century. I welcome this, but the line calling for a new 15-week benefit for adoptive parents only falls short. It is time the government and all Parliamentarians look to include a 15-week benefit for parents via surrogacy in this much-needed EI modernization. Because it’s 2022. Jacquie LaRocque spent almost a decade in strategic policy within the federal public service and is now founder of Compass Rose. Her daughter was born via surrogate in 2014. The Hill Times