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NonExcision of healthy functional tissue that occurs with non-therapeutic [[circumcision]] of children is a practice that is of uncertain dubious lawfulness in Canada. The ''Charter of Rights and Freedoms'' (1982), [https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/how-rights-protected/guide-canadian-charter-rights-freedoms.html#a2e Section 7] provides every Canadian with the right to security of the person.<ref name="chhrp2018" />
The above referenced survey (2006-7) provides the most recent available statistics on [[Foreskinned]] males are in the incidence of non-therapeutic child circumcision majority in Canadaevery province and territory.
Add category.
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|publisher=Citizenship and Immigration Canada
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|accessdate=2024-09-15
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== Canada and circumcision ==
|accessdate=2019-10-25
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Still (1972) described infant circumcision as a "an outdated and unnecessary procedure".<ref name="still1972">{{REFjournal |last=Still |first= |init=H |author-link= |etal=no |title=Circumcision - an outdated and unnecessary procedure? |journal= Can Fam Physician |location= |date=1972-01 |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=51-2 |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2370328/ |archived= |quote= |pubmedID=20468719 |pubmedCID=2370328 |DOI= |doi= |accessdate=2025-01-09}}</ref>
The [[Canadian Paediatric Society]] (CPS) issued its first statement on neonatal circumcision in 1975. The statement said "there is no [[medical indication]] for circumcision during the neonatal period." The CPS called the amputation an "obsolete operation" and anticipated a "sharper decrease in the percentage of infants circumcised".<ref name="cps1975">{{REFjournal
|last=Swyer
Canada has fourteen single-payer health insurance plans (HIPs) — one for each of the ten provinces and three territories and a 14th plan for government employees. The British Columbia HIP stopped paying for non-therapeutic [[circumcision]] in 1984. Ontario HIP stopped payment for non-therapeutic circumcision in July 1995; Saskatchewan stopped in 1996. One by one, all other HIPs have stopped paying for non-therapeutic circumcision. In 2006, Manitoba HIP was the last to stop, but only after the wrong boy was [[circumcised]] at [http://www.sbgh.mb.ca/ St. Boniface Hospital].<ref>{{REFnews
|title=Circumcision mix-up
|url=httphttps://www.cirp.org/news/canadacom112006/2006-1807-05/18_winnipegfreepress.php |last=Skerrit |first=Jen |publisher=Canada.comWinnipeg Free Press |accessdate=20192024-10-2608
}}</ref> <ref name="skeldon2008">{{REFdocument
|title=The Medicalization and Resultant Decline of Circumcision in Canada
==Non-therapeutic circumcision and Canadian law==
===The Canadian legal view===
The Government of Canada officially states:
<blockquote>
</blockquote>
The ''Charter of Rights and Freedoms'' (1982), [https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/how-rights-protected/guide-canadian-charter-rights-freedoms.html#a2e Section 7] provides every Canadian with the right to ''security of the person''.<ref name="chhrp2018" />
In addition, Canada is a state-party to the United Nations ''[https://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CCPR.aspx Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]'' (1966) and the ''[https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx Convention on the Rights of the Child]'' (1989), both of which provide various [[human rights]] to children, which are violated by non-therapeutic child circumcision.
|accessdate=2019-10-27
}}</ref></blockquote>
Collins (2013) argues strongly that a precautionary approach is legally required to protect the Canadian Section Seven right to ''security of the person''.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Collins
|first=
|init=LM
|author-link=
|etal=no
|title=Security of the person, peace of mind: a precautionary approach to environmental uncertainty
|trans-title=
|language=
|journal=Journal of Human Rights and the Environment
|location=
|date=2013-03
|volume=4
|issue=3
|pages=79-100
|url=https://download.ssrn.com/13/06/26/ssrn_id2285579_code1311333.pdf?response-content-disposition=inline&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEOn%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIQDJn8gdCySKm46IFox3eY5pY1F2qdI7rxySR48R3Z8%2F4AIgNpzH6FMAZH8DZowAK3EGGMIztiifngXJqHaIdaSjs3QqxgUIsv%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARAEGgwzMDg0NzUzMDEyNTciDMfXLaoz1sBd9jggBSqaBcBtoGHDLWsFyfCOjcGXMfTcW0ZA%2BcTLwAPGib0t2kt0062OwI1i10DXiuqbWVlqLGqNwocwIERUXjGdK8iOQZHBznddI6RRg8B10qs9LTjUmpHjISZBC3BaZVZfFgUHmkchay%2FYQSc6AJlu0xnlMS7JFNKC91TiKefwCjDgXIso21DUl30C8l4gMhs7RY6XSirdHAgGeVejZQuAR2TiK8EfOHgXhIlsJfln%2BM1gYXChEjzGBUIfnwVg5NQF6gxhj%2B%2Fgm0fjbC7ZcIwyuVsmAj0AQueNBED2%2FzV5oNeTzk0YY99s%2Bne8nnKM68y8P0yIoAPpihgzcH84u%2F1fUPQmIm3Ov9lRY9414BjccWYL9ayEllwU0cwSGLLs85rtodBBrQZfMiGlAau64Qs4EDUbD3eDZld4cOaJuuu2z5emwIU34miGgm0Xuoxc%2BocXDkQonFicRadQM1HL%2FUR3cd90W10PhtrJgXoQo%2FTQcpuXf4EOdaCpVanRBnQF3vCav22kmhsjO7juTx39SClqlKtZXiYJYJnySCczPPSnfy8jaasWZuHhwMrwrx3FCoKvut%2Bst%2FMppcNlSKtC4jGqPGmp61AaTQSj1DpB2s6zg5GdPlMbetmhyyGUp1f1YS%2BFmvV5qwuvkXAvA5j%2BRno1pKci9OI3su1sRrjaqkwVmjL70hM6qBjUEG7eS5cieuXu183Fo%2FH3TXcg6%2FSKFwUfR8BF8OlAaIZfr%2Fi8HjQKF0axvHKb08eTN1Ca06jZQ%2B5iwSgR6eWWIE9KeTJuZG%2FN919BpJIh4wx82A%2FO9mDtXc1PevaHQvQKOpGuwv5murAnDLfywbIpNYoOJ%2B7oygtJeJHIAapJiJJuHLcvrOZWvq7OTFfQqqiMQ%2FsQjD4HFzCZyZ27BjqxAfRWKJZddenlHMib%2Fj2iOyXc%2BLhvjWFRhw9damzRNG1DNxYxiFETcESKgZEERDNijhS2JNB5d3CfRK%2FMmdJVsvDMKkIaOdb2Er23pWjZNfV0igeur9Apn21iDMarqHSUYslfySvbtpaWaGCZ1ohVx%2Fm%2BSyJA0fWbpKfYJBNKn%2B9u3FnKhDxcMRYHoX4ghtj1EX2aZaPW0SOWqefZII80iQrkUGCj2uDaVXq%2FkSHltUBBaA%3D%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20241222T011938Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAUPUUPRWETH5JUZVH%2F20241222%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=14d6f961b3225b9d5c78dfa2fe9491097416fffac9e8ecb59e51607463256920&abstractId=2285579
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|accessdate=2024-12-21
}}</ref>
===Canadian Medical Association Code of Ethics and Professionalism===
==Canada and circumcision in the 21st century==
Jackie Smith (2002) discussed the growing consensus against non-therapeutic child circumcision, which she called an "anachronism".<ref name="smith2002">{{REFnews
|title=The growing consensus against circumcision
===Third-party payment is not available===
There is a long-standing general consensus for at least a half-century that there are no medical indications for [[circumcision]] in the newborn period.<ref name="cps1975" /> <ref name="cps1996" /> At the beginning of the 21st Century, only the Manitoba Health Insurance Plan (HIP) still paid for non-therapeutic circumcision, however Manitoba HIP ended payment in 2006.<ref name="skeldon2008" /> No insurance coverage of non-therapeutic circumcision is currently available. There is a long-standing general consensus for a half-century that there are no medical indications for [[circumcision]] in the newborn period.Manitoba,<ref name="cps1975dm2024" /> Reports in 2024 indicate that the Manitoba HIP reinstated [[third-party payment]] for non-therapeutic circumcision in the first 28 days of life, apparently for political reasons and as a benefit for physicians.<ref>{{REFweb |url=https://buenafeclinicdoctorsmanitoba.comca/managing-your-practice/circumcisionremuneration/babybilling-infantfees/surgery/neonatal-newborn/circumcision |title=Baby & Newborn Neonatal Circumcision at our Winnipeg Clinic |publisher=Doctors Manitoba |date=2024-07-16 |accessdate=2024-11-26}}</ref> and this is also true throughout Canada.<ref name="allan2024">{{REFbook |last=BuenafeAllan |first=Joy |init=JA |author-link=Jonathan A. Allan |year=2024 |title=Uncut: A Cultural Analysis of the Foreskin |url=https://uofrpress.ca/Books/U/Uncut |chapter=Chapter 2: Circumcision Indecision |pages=88-9 |location=Regina |publisher=Buenafe ClinicUniversity of Regina Press |dateISBN=978-1779400307
|accessdate=2024-10-06
}}</ref> Only "medically indicated" circumcisions (which are very rare) are covered.<ref name="dm2024" />
===The incidence of circumcision varies widely by region===
The incidence of non-therapeutic child circumcision Labrador and Newfoundland is reported to be close to zero while Saskatchewan had an incidence of circumcision in 2000 and 2001 of 27.6 percent. The Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons said in 2002 that was much too high and should be reduced substantially. The Registrar, Dr. Dennis Kimble, said, "they [doctors] aren't required to carry out a procedure simply because parents want it done."<ref>{{REFnews
|title=Sask. college wants circumcision rates reduced
|url=http://www.cirp.org/news/medicalpost03-18-02/
===The most recent survey was done in 2006-7===
The [https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html Public Health Agency of Canada] carried out a survey of mothers' birth experiences in 2006-7. Item 38 was male infant non-therapeutic circumcision. (See pages 224-5.)The survey did not provide information for the three territories where the incidence of non-therapeutic circumcision is believed to be extremely low. The Atlantic provinces except for PEI and Quebec had a markedly lower incidence than the other provinces. PEI then had a high rate of circumcision but is now reported to have zero circumcisions.
<blockquote>
Among women with a male baby, 31.9% (95% CI: 30.3–33.6) reported circumcising their baby. There was marked regional variation in circumcision. In the 10 jurisdictions in which at least five circumcisions were reported, the proportion of women who reported having their male baby [[circumcised ]] ranged from 44.3% (95% CI: 39.2–49.4) in Alberta and 43.7% (95% CI: 40.6–46.8) in Ontario to 9.7%† (95% CI: 5.2–14.2) in the Northwest Territories and 6.8%† (95% CI: 3.6–10.0) in Nova Scotia.<ref>{{REFdocument
|title=What Mothers Say: The Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey
|url=https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/migration/phac-aspc/rhs-ssg/pdf/survey-eng.pdf
}}</ref>
</blockquote>
<b>The historic survey by the Public Health Agency of Canada is now well out-of-date and cannot be relied on for current information.</b>
In all provinces and territories, only a minority of boys are being [[circumcised]]. Sheldon (2008) reported an incidence of 13.9 percent.<ref name="skeldon2008"/> The incidence of circumcision in Labrador and Newfoundland is reported to be close to zero.<ref>{{REFweb
|accessdate=2021-07-10
|format=
|quote=Labrador and Newfoundland have close to zero.
}}</ref>
[[Circumcised]] males are found mostly in older age groups. The incidence of child circumcision in Canada varies by province, but the overall incidence is believed to be one-half or less than that of the [[United States]]where the [[United_States_of_America#Incidence_of_circumcision| incidence of circumcision]] also is declining. It is now estimated that less than 20 percent or 1 out of 5 boys in Canada are currently being [[circumcised]]. The prevalence of [[circumcision]] in the whole population constantly declines as elderly, mostly [[circumcised]] males die off and are replaced in the population by mostly [[intact]] boys.
===Factors pushing the incidence of non-therapeutic circumcision down===
It is likely that the incidence of circumcision has further declined since the survey was taken for the following reasons:
* The long-term trend in the incidence of [[circumcision]] in Canada is down.<ref>{{REFweb |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/will-canada-ban-circumcision-not-likely-observers-say-1.3824863 |title=Will Canada ban circumcision? Not likely, observers say |last=Szklarsk |first=Cassandra |init= |author-link= |publisher=The Canadian Press |date=2018-03-01 |accessdate=2024-11-06}}</ref>
* The health insurance plans (HIPs) do not support non-therapeutic circumcision.<ref name="skeldon2008" />
* The large numbers of [[intact]] boys growing up healthy and happy is further eroding support for non-therapeutic [[circumcision]].
* The survey (2006) found that the incidence of circumcision on Prince Edward Island was 38 percent. A recent report (2019) indicated that non-therapeutic circumcision of boys is no longer available on P.E.I. because no practitioner will perform the non-therapeutic [[amputation]] of part of a boy's [[penis]].<refname="williams2019">{{REFnews
|title=Mom 'enraged' she can't find doctor to perform circumcision on P.E.I.
|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/p-e-i-no-doctors-circumcision-1.5187284
Non-circumcision or [[genital integrity]] is the norm in all parts of Canada.
===Abusive promotion of non-therapeutic circumcision in Ontario===
Dr. Omar Afandi, an Ontario paediatrician, improperly accessed hospital records at [https://www.wrh.on.ca/ Windsor General Hospital] and elsewhere to learn the names of mothers who had given birth to a boy. He then telephoned the mothers to offer them an unnecessary [[circumcision]] in his clinic in Windsor. The records of as many as 800 mothers may have been accessed.<ref>{{REFnews
|date=2024-08-16
|accessdate=2024-09-05
}}</ref> The Information and Privacy Commission fined Dr. Afandi $5,000 and fined We Kidz Paediatrics $7,500.<ref>{{REFnews
|title=Windsor, Ont., doctor fined after wrongfully accessing health records to offer circumcision services
|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-doctor-1.7621211
|last=La Grassa
|first=Jennifer
|init=
|author-link=
|publisher=CBC
|website=
|date=2025-08-29
|accessdate=2025-08-30
|format=
|quote=
}}</ref>
==Video=Overcharging for minor procedure===The [https://www.cps.sk.ca/imis/CPSS/College_of_Physicians_and_Surgeons_of_Saskatchewan.aspx Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons] has charged [https://www.cps.sk.ca/imis/CPSS/Physician_Summary/Physician_Profile.aspx?ID=8041 Dr. Amith Mulla] with three offences arising from the performance of an [[adult circumcision]]. Dr. Mulla has been charged with:* charging $1,795 for a circumcision procedure.* failing to provide followup care.* asking for pictures of the patient's [[penis]].<ref name="simes2024">{{REFnews |title=Saskatoon doctor facing professional charges in circumcision case |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10906122/saskatoon-doctor-facing-professional-charges-in-circumcision-case/ |last=Simes |first=Jeremy |init= |author-link= |publisher=The Canadian Press |website= |date=2024-12-06 |accessdate=2024-12-07 }}</ref>===Leading promoters===[[Neil Pollock]] and his group are leading promoters of harmful, medically-unnecessary, non-therapeutic [[circumcision]] of boys in Canada.===Counseling for circumcised men===[[Dale Andersen]], MSW, provides counseling in southern Ontario to [[circumcised]] men who are troubled by the grief, [[trauma]], [[depression]], and loss of [[Foreskin#Physiological_functions| function]] associated with involuntary [[amputation]] of their [[foreskin]].
===Care of foreskinned boys===Circumcision is now nearly a thing of the past, and most Canadian boys now have an [[intact]] [Christopher Guest[foreskin]]. Alberta Health (2024) has published guidance on the care of the natural, {{MD}}normal, [[foreskinned]] [[penis]].<ref>{{FRCPC}}, of Barrie, {{CAPTCREFweb |ON}}, discusses circumcision in Canadaurl=https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=abo1357 |title=Learning About How to Care for an Intact Penis |last=Healthwise |first=Ignite |init= |author-link= |publisher=Alberta Health<youtube>7 |date=2024-10-24 |accessdate=2025-09-vbutOy4X824}}</youtuberef> A news report on circumcision in Canada.
==Video==
===A news report on circumcision in Canada.===
<youtube>Yf06OSHcZc8</youtube>
===[[Christopher Guest]], {{MD}}, {{FRCPC}}, of Barrie, {{CAPTC|ON}}, discusses circumcision in Canada:===<youtube>?v=TQIp9f4krVQ</youtube>===A Historical and Medical Critique of Circumcision - Dr. Christopher Guest===<youtube>v=XwZiQyFaAs0</youtube>===40 years of lessons on circumcision from a child birth educator===<youtube>v=-VP9iO3sbA4&t=359s</youtube>
{{SEEALSO}}
* [[Canadian Children's Rights Council]]
* [[College_of_Physicians_and_Surgeons_of_Ontario]]
* [[Foreskin]]
* [[Jonathan A. Allan]]
* [[Trauma]]
* [[2020 USA & Canada Circumcision Crisis Protests]]
* {{URLwikipedia|Canada|Canada}}
* {{REFweb
|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopediacirp.comorg/library/statistics/Canada/en |title=The Canadian EncyclopediaIncidence of Circumcision in Canada |last=Anonymous
|first=
|init=
|author-link=
|publisher=Circumcision Reference Library |date=20242012 |accessdate=20242025-09-1527
}}
* {{REFnews
|date=2024-08-16
|accessdate=2024-08-17
}}
* {{REFweb
|url=https://archive.is/NjZif
|title=To cut or not to cut
|last=Allan
|first=
|init=JA
|author-link=Jonathan A. Allan
|publisher=The Globe and Mail
|date=2024-11
|accessdate=2024-12-01
}}
* {{REFweb
|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/AskACanadian/comments/n74enn/whats_the_norm_regarding_circumcision_in_canada/?rdt=44390
|title=What's the norm regarding circumcision in Canada?
|last=
|first=
|init=
|author-link=
|publisher=Reddit
|date=
|accessdate=2025-03-14
}}
* {{REFweb
|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/foreskin_restoration/comments/1mhykgs/went_to_the_nude_beach_today/
|title=Only [[foreskinned]] guys on the nude beach in Canada
|last=Anonymous
|publisher=REDDIT
|date=2025-08-04
|accessdate=2025-09-01
}}
* {{REFweb
|url=https://www.reddit.com/answers/0ed39a4d-8136-4f36-8b44-5da3f230d180/?q=Circumcision%20norms%20and%20preferences%20in%20Canada&source=PDP
|title=Circumcision norms and preferences in Canada
|last=
|first=
|init=
|author-link=
|publisher=REDDIT
|date=
|accessdate=2025-09-01
}}
* {{REFweb
|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/uncircumcised_talk/comments/1npv247/opinion_piece_by_a_66yo_uncut_canuck_regarding/?chainedPosts=t3_1nqur98%2Ct3_1npoor7%2Ct3_1nrjbmc%2Ct3_1kjqhh8
|title=Opinion Piece by a 66yo Uncut Canuck Regarding Canadian Attitudes about Circumcision
|last=Anonymous
|first=
|init=
|author-link=
|publisher=REDDIT
|date=2025-09-24
|accessdate=2025-09-27
}}
{{ABBR}}
{{REF}}
[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Circumcision]]
[[Category:English-speaking nation]]
[[Category:Male circumcision]]
[[Category:CanadaCountry]]
[[Category:Lawsuit]]
[[Category:Statistics]]