Regulations governing midwifery in the territory need to be developed, says NDP Health critic Lois Moorcroft.

Moorcroft raised the issue during question period in the legislature Wednesday, for the second consecutive day.

Rather than continue studying the issue, she argued, regulations governing the industry need to be drafted.

“The Yukon remains one of the last jurisdictions in Canada to recognize, regulate and fund midwifery to make it safe for women and practitioners,” she said, after pointing to the benefits midwives offer to families.

“Why is this government still failing to uphold women’s reproductive choice by not providing regulated and funded midwifery care?”

Throughout her questioning, Moorcroft recognized the comments by Elaine Taylor, the minister responsible for the Women’s Directorate, a day earlier that the government is considering regulation and funding for midwifery services.

However, she argued, the evidence makes it clear that it needs to happen.

“The ministers of Health, Women’s Directorate and Justice have announced they’ve met with the Community Midwives Association Yukon to talk about the merits and challenges associated with midwifery and have struck up a working group,” Moorcroft said.

“Isn’t the (Health) minister embarrassed to stand up in this house and say that he will review the reports begun in 2007, hold a conference and talk about the merits and challenges of midwifery instead of regulating it when we know it’s safe?”

Studies have already shown both professionals and the general public favour regulating midwifery.

“It’s this Yukon Party government that says it supports midwifery, but refuses to act when other jurisdictions in Canada and around the world recognize midwifery as a safe and healthy childbirth option,” she said.

She went on to note the impact the lack of funding and regulations has on families living in rural communities outside Whitehorse.

“Because midwifery isn’t regulated, rural women who travel to Whitehorse to get care from a midwife are not able to get their travel expenses covered whether they go to the hospital or not,” she said.

“I will ask the minister again today: does he believe it is fair that rural women who choose midwifery are penalized by not having the same financial supports available to them as women and families in Whitehorse?”

Both Health Minister Mike Nixon and Taylor responded during the exchange.

They defended the work the territory has done thus far, noting the commitment to work with the midwives association on the next steps.

Those include creating a working group and exploring legislation governing midwives in other provinces and territories in an effort – as Taylor described it – “to really develop a comprehensive plan for detailing options for regulating the profession in the territory.”

Nixon also noted the government has reached out other health care professionals and stakeholders in its efforts to look at regulations.

“We are supportive of the work that the midwives do in the territory, and (the) Yukon government is currently considering regulating the practice of midwifery in the territory,” he said.

“Good work is being done, and this government stands behind that work.”

Neither minister spoke directly to the issues faced by those living in rural communities coming to Whitehorse for midwifery services.

Taylor did state the government’s commitment “to expanding birthing options for all women in this territory....”

She went on to again stress the work being done with the midwives association through a number of meetings held over the past couple of months as well as taking part in Tuesday’s International Day of the Midwife events at LePage Park.

“Representatives of the association also welcomed this great news in terms of collaborating with the Yukon government, moving forward and coming up with detailed options and a comprehensive plan for moving this very important issue further for the benefit of all Yukon families, particularly Yukon women,” Taylor said.