Bill S-26

1st Session, 38th Parliament,

53-54 Elizabeth II, 2004-2005

senate of canada

BILL S-26

An Act to provide for a national cancer strategy

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

1. This Act may be cited as the National Cancer Strategy Act.

2. The following definition applies in this Act.

“Minister” means the Minister of Health.

3. The Minister shall, within 90 days following the coming into force of this Act, consult with

(a) every minister responsible for the delivery of health services in a province, and

(b) every charity that is a registered charity under the Income Tax Act and that the Minister considers has, as its main objective, the funding of research into cancer,

to discuss the establishment of a national cancer strategy under this Act.

4. The Minister, after the consultation required by section 3, shall cause to be presented to each House of Parliament, on one of the first 5 days on which the House sits after the expiry of 180 days following the coming into force of this Act, a proposal for the establishment of:

(a) a national cancer strategy that provides for the Minister, and the ministers responsible for the delivery of health services in the provinces that agree to participate in the strategy, to coordinate the application of

(i) funds appropriated by Parliament,

(ii) funds appropriated by the legislatures of the provinces that agree to participate in the strategy, and

(iii) funds raised by charities that agree to participate in the strategy,

to finance research in Canada into the causes of cancer and its most effective treatments; and

(b) a committee to advise the Minister on the coordination referred to in paragraph (a), consisting of

(i) a person designated by each of the ministers of the provinces referred to in paragraph (a), and

(ii) one or more persons designated by the Minister to represent the charities referred to in subparagraph (a)(iii).

5. (1) The Leader of the Government in the Senate shall move a motion in the Senate providing for a debate on the proposal presented under section 4 during the first 15 days on which the Senate sits after the presentation of the proposal.

(2) The Minister shall move a motion in the House of Commons providing for a debate on the proposal presented under section 4 during the first 15 days on which the House sits after the presentation of the proposal.

6. The Minister, after taking into consideration the debates in each House that take place as a result of the motions referred to in section 5, shall, on one of the first 5 days on which the House of Commons sits after the expiry of 90 days following the conclusion of the debates, introduce the legislation that the Minister considers necessary to establish a national cancer strategy.