Position Statements

The Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) upholds a set of values based in social democracy, social justice and environmental justice. These values guide HSAA in taking positions on issues that arise on an ongoing basis. Our position statements align with our mission, vision, values and strategic plan.

HSAA is affiliated with the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and its subordinate bodies โ€“ the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) and the various District Labour Councils across Alberta.

To learn more about the mission and strategic plan that guide HSAA, click here.

On this page you can review the web version of our position statements. A PDF file can also be downloaded.

Position Statement 56 - Opposition to Paying for Blood Products

HSAA will call on the provincial and federal governments to legislate a comprehensive ban on any payments blood-products; and

HSAA will support the passage of Senate Bill S-252, the Voluntary Blood Donation Act, which would ban payments for blood and blood products; and

HSAA will support the expansion of plasma collection by the public, voluntary blood donation system that is managed by Canadian Blood Services on behalf of all Canadians.

Rationale:

The clearest conclusions of the Krever Inquiry into the tainted-blood scandal in Canada was that the best way to protect Canadians is a non-profit, volunteer-based blood system and the World Health Organization has come to the same conclusion; and

For-profit corporations have been granted licenses to operate by Health Canada in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, which undermines the voluntary public blood systems in those provinces; and

Because of Bill 204, Voluntary Blood Donations Repeal Act brought forward by the UCP government MLA Tany Yao which repealed Alberta Bill 3, Voluntary Blood Donations Act; and

Until we have federal legislation banning paid plasma across Canada, the potential threats to our public system and the health of Canadians, identified by the Krever Inquiry, remain serious.

Approved June 2020
Amended May 2021