Letter to MPs

Children's Healthcare Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society have put together a draft letter to MPs to align messaging in support of Bill S-212: National Strategy for Children and Youth

You can use the online form to customize and send a version of this letter to your MP automatically, or copy and paste the text below to send it yourself.

Dear [recipient's full name will go here],

I am writing to urge you to support Bill S-212, An Act respecting a National Strategy for Children and Youth in Canada, currently before the House of Commons.

Access to timely, coordinated healthcare is essential for Canada’s children and youth to grow, develop, and thrive. Yet persistent gaps and inequities mean that too many children are not receiving the care and supports they need. Of Canada’s eight million children, one in four lives with chronic illness, one in five struggles with mental health challenges, and 100,000 are living with medical complexity. At the same time, approximately one in ten children and youth do not have a primary care provider. As a result, families are left navigating fragmented systems, enduring long wait times — often longer than those faced by adults — and facing uneven access to services across the country. This is unacceptable in one of the wealthiest nations in the world.

Bill S-212 would establish a national strategy to align efforts across governments and sectors, improve accountability and transparency, and ensure that all young people — no matter their background or where they live — have equitable access to high-quality care and supports.

The case for investing in children’s health is clear. Evidence shows that every dollar invested can yield up to a fivefold return — improving outcomes for children and youth, reducing the caregiving burden on families, and generating long-term savings for the health system. Children and youth make up 20% of Canada's population and 100% of its future. They cannot afford another decade of piecemeal approaches. They need a coordinated plan now.

I urge you to support the swift passage of Bill S-212 and work with your colleagues to see it enacted before the end of this parliamentary session. The decisions made in this Parliament will shape the health, resilience, and prosperity of the generation that will inherit this country.

Thank you for your time and for your commitment to the health and well-being of children and youth in Canada.

Sincerely,

[your full name will go here]

[your email will go here, your location will go here]