Status of Women

This House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women met to study the labour force impacts of menopause and perimenopause. Appearing were Dr. Sylvie Demers, a family physician; Shawna O’Hearn, director of the Menopause Society of Nova Scotia; Evelyn Huntjens, director of Indigenous initiatives at the DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada; Élise Brunot, director of the Réseau québécois d’action pour la santé des femmes; and Dr. Anne-Patricia Prévost of the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec.

Dr. Sylvie Demers argued that the suffering of women in perimenopause and menopause is trivialized, and that symptoms affect every body system, not just hot flashes. She said bioidentical hormone therapy using transdermal 17β‑estradiol and progesterone is the safest and most effective treatment, but access is limited due to confusion from medical societies and a lack of integrated knowledge across specialties. She recommended that frontline physicians and nurse practitioners be trained to prescribe calibrated hormone therapy, and that current scientific evidence be applied rather than requiring new research.

Shawna O’Hearn emphasized that menopause is a biosocial and cultural issue, not only a clinical one, and that workplace solutions must include all types of workers, not just office-based professionals. She called for a national research strategy on menopause, a federal framework for menopause-inclusive workplaces, and public education, noting that Canadian research funding for women’s health remains at only seven percent. She highlighted that supportive workplaces can retain skilled workers and reduce unnecessary strain.

Evelyn Huntjens said menopause symptoms can be functionally disabling and closely resemble episodic and invisible disabilities, yet are rarely recognized in disability accommodation frameworks. She noted that menopause can exacerbate existing disabilities and chronic conditions, and that indigenous women and two-spirit people face additional barriers due to a lack of trust in health care systems and a shortage of culturally safe, holistic care. She recommended more research at the intersection of disability and menopause, and workplace flexibility including hybrid work, temperature control, and inclusive leave policies.

Élise Brunot argued that menopause is not a disease but a normal life stage, and that the workplace standard of constant availability is built around a male experience, making women’s bodies seem like a problem. She said silence costs women their dignity and leads to presenteeism and premature departures, and recommended that the federal government recognize perimenopause and menopause as occupational health realities, train managers, and make menstrual and hormonal inclusion an employer’s responsibility. She cautioned against pathologizing menopause and against standardized leave policies that could stigmatize women.

Dr. Anne-Patricia Prévost said family physicians must avoid both trivializing symptoms and overmedicalizing a normal transition, and that a holistic approach is needed to rule out other causes like sleep apnea. She recommended better public awareness, simple workplace accommodations such as flexible schedules and temperature control, and improved training for health professionals. She cautioned against messages that women in menopause are less capable, and said the goal is to normalize without trivializing and support without overmedicalizing.

The committee heard questions from members on topics including the cost of natural health products, the shortage of family doctors, the need for better data on marginalized populations, and the role of traditional indigenous knowledge. Witnesses generally agreed that education and awareness are the first steps before legislating, and that workplace accommodations should be flexible and not standardized. No procedural motions or votes were recorded.