The Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) congratulates Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberal Party on their historic election victory. This is a nation-building moment—an opportunity to strengthen public health care, advance reconciliation, and protect sexual and reproductive health and rights across Canada.
Midwives are essential primary care providers trusted by families in rural, urban, and remote communities alike. Canadian and Indigenous midwives also play a critical role in advancing Indigenous self-determination, 2SLGBTQI+ inclusive care, and equitable access to culturally safe health services.
Yet Canada has only 2,153 registered midwives—just 27% of the 8,000 needed to meet population-level sexual and reproductive health needs. To close this gap, we urge the federal government to invest in education, support Indigenous midwifery, and ensure midwives can practice to full scope in well-resourced, integrated settings.
We welcome the government’s platform commitments to:
- Make the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund permanent;
- Invest in maternal health and perinatal care research;
- Support Indigenous-led health care and self-determination via a distinctions-based approach;
- Strengthen public health infrastructure and work to reduce strain and burnout on healthcare workers.
CAM, alongside the National Council of Indigenous Midwives (NCIM), is ready to work with the federal government, provinces and territories to ensure every person can access safe, respectful, and culturally appropriate midwifery care—no matter where they live.
– The Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM)
