A parent who did not bear a child should also be entitled to five weeks of leave in the event of perinatal bereavement, reads a petition on the Quebec national assembly website, sponsored by Quebec Solidaire (QS) MNA Sol Zanetti.
The petition had more than 1,300 signatures by Saturday.
The document is asking the government to amend the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) and the Act respecting labour standards so that in the event of death between the 20th week of pregnancy and the first year of life of a child, the parent who did not carry the baby also has access to five weeks of leave.
"This is something that, if left unsaid, will never become a government priority. It's something that's simple to change, that wouldn't cost much because it would be covered by the QPIP," said QS's family spokesperson in an interview.
Zanetti explained that he launched this petition after several parents contacted him.
"There was already a petition on the subject several years ago, which had gathered quite a few signatures, and I was very touched by this cause, and I said to myself: 'yes, it must be relaunched,'" he said.
For the QS MNA, the measure is a way of recognizing the grief of the non-carrier parent, often a father.
"There is something of an outdated vision of masculinity in this. It's as if we were saying: the father can go back to work the next day because he doesn't have any emotions," says Zanetti.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 20, 2023.
