Lobbying registration dated 2026-03-30
Registrant: Andrew West
Client: The Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists
Targeted institutions:
Senate of Canada
Privy Council Office (PCO)
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
House of Commons
Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
Health Canada (HC)
Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Finance Canada (FIN)
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
Legislative bills: S-5
Government funding received:
Lobbying activity details:
Provide the CSRT’s perspective as it relates to health data interoperability that would ensure respiratory therapists and other health professionals have access to the right information at the right time when providing care. Advocate for the passage of Bill S-5 (Connected Care for Canadians Act) and implementing regulations that ensure respiratory therapy health data and information are included in interoperability roll-out.
Advocating for an expanded strategy, and funding, for assessing and incorporating internationally-educated respiratory therapists into Canada’s health systems.
Increased investments in health and social-determinants-of-health related programs, including measures to improve tobacco control and smoking cessation, acute and chronic respiratory diseases, primary care, critical care, and respiratory health generally.
Advocate for an Integrated Canadian Health Human Resources Strategy, including increasing the number of respiratory therapists in Canada, creating retention incentives for the existing respiratory therapist workforce, including support for mental health and wellbeing, improved working conditions, continuing professional development, and initiatives to reduce burnout and strengthen the respiratory therapist workforce stability across Canada.
Advocating for Canada to support the inclusion of respiratory therapists in the International Standardized Classification of Occupations (ISCO).
Provide the CSRT’s perspective on the Government of Canada’s budget, particularly as it relates to providing respiratory therapy services and modernizing Canada’s health care systems to improve efficiency, innovation, and equitable access to healthcare.
Advocating for national strategies and policies to ensure that all Canadians have access to safe, effective and affordable prescription drugs and medical devices regardless of employment status or geography.
Advocate for sustainable health systems in Canada, including reducing the climate impacts of respiratory therapy technologies and drugs and advocating for new climate-sensitive health infrastructure.
Improving the collection, harmonization, and use of respiratory therapist workforce data across all jurisdictions in Canada. Discussions include enhancing respiratory therapist workforce data reporting, modelling future population health and workforce needs, supporting evidence-based pan-Canadian health human resource planning, and investing in robust data systems to inform public policy and decision-making.
Provide the CSRT’s perspective on the impact of new health technologies (drugs and medical devices) and artificial intelligence on the health sector and the means through which advancements can be foreseen, managed, regulated, and integrated.
Ensuring a coordinated and consistent national response to pandemics and emerging public health threats by the federal government across all jurisdictions, including targeted resources to ensure health systems have the capacity to respond, advocating on equitable vaccine supply and distribution, and ensuring respiratory therapists have access to an adequate supply, proper distribution, and appropriate usage of personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout health systems. Advocating for support for improved access to education and training for respiratory therapists returning to work or working across various care settings during public health emergencies. Ensuring that clear guidelines and resources are developed and disseminated, and that respiratory therapists are included in discussions and advisory boards during emergency planning phases as well as in post-emergency reviews of public health emergencies and pandemic preparedness.