Testimonial: Law 20: the end of a dream

The Liberal government adopted the Quebec assisted reproduction program in August 2010. This program covered part of the costs associated with infertility treatment. Thanks to this program, between 2010 and 2015, a very large number of babies were born, coming to fulfill couples who believed their dream of starting a family was impossible.

On November 11, the Liberal government adopted Bill 20, which greatly limits the involvement of the state in supporting infertile couples.

In fact, the text of the law puts an end to free treatments and replaces it with tax credits for low-income families. “Families with an income of less than $50,000 per year will receive a tax credit equivalent to 80% of the cost of treatments. Gradually, this tax credit will reduce treatment costs by up to 20% for households earning over $120,000. However, no tax credit is applicable for a couple who already has one child[1].”

When you consider that 99% of men and 50% of women living with cystic fibrosis suffer from infertility, it is clear that this law has come directly to the disadvantage of our community.

Living with cystic fibrosis means dealing with a certain amount of grief at different stages of our lives, but thanks to the Quebec assisted reproduction program, the dream of starting a family was made possible for some of us. With Bill 20, the loss of not being able to start a family is added to our burden because, for some of our members, the tax credit is simply not enough to start these procedures.

Mr. Couillard, let's bet that the FK community will remember this law adopted on Remembrance Day 2015 during the next elections.

Every time I rock my two miracles from the Quebec assisted reproduction program, I think of all these infertile couples who will not have my chance, and I am frustrated.

Charlène Blais, Chair of the Board of Directors‍

‍Magog (Quebec)

[1] http://aciq.ca/projet-de-loi-20/

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