It’s time to move ‘beyond symbolism,’ says Sona Lakhoyan Olivier

Chomedey MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier is hoping the powers that be at the Quebec National Assembly will take a serious second look at her proposal that they acknowledge there’s a need for a national women’s health policy in Quebec.

A few days before International Women’s Day on March 8, Lakhoyan Olivier sat down with The Laval News to explain what she hopes will eventually blossom into a resolution to be adopted by the National Assembly.

“What have we done lately for women’s health?” she asked.

Investing in women’s health

“Here it is Women’s Day again, there are celebrations, but there’s no investment. With women living longer and working and being active, they have special needs, but we have not taken the time and put in the effort to see what we can do about women’s health.

“I believe the time has come to move beyond symbolism and build a national women’s policy – one that invests in research, prevention and care from menstruation to menopause and beyond,” she added. “Quebec has the expertise. What’s missing is the political will. And if not now – when?”

Lakhoyan Olivier pointed out that today women and men live longer than ever before. In Canada, life expectancy is around 84-85 years for women. “This means that a significant portion of women’s lives is spent after menopause,” she said. “Yet our health systems have not fully adapted to this demographic reality.”

Breaking the silence

First elected to the National Assembly in 2022, Lakhoyan Olivier said that since then she has raised the issue of menopause with colleagues as well as in political discussions. For generations, she said, menopause was considered a taboo subject.

“Our mothers and grandmothers rarely spoke about it. It was often treated as something shameful or as if it were a disease. As a result, many women today still suffer in silence without proper support or medical guidance.”

She believes that menopause is a potentially major health issue that deserves to be discussed publicly. She notes that hormonal changes in women’s bodies during menopause have been linked to several health concerns, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cognitive changes and increased risk factors for some cancers.

“These issues affect millions of women but are not systematically addressed through prevention programs,” she said. She argues that the need for a conversation on the issue has become urgent.

An important women’s issue

With that said, Lakhoyan Olivier is proposing a simple step to get things underway: the introduction of a motion in the National Assembly recognizing menopause as an important women’s issue. The motion (which she tabled recently, although it was turned down) would not impose policy immediately.

“But it would send a strong message that we care about women’s health,” she said, while adding that “such motions can often lead to real policy changes.”

If the “political will” to follow through were to become a reality, she continued, several practical measures could follow, including preventive screening programs, hormone health consultations, improved education for doctors and better access by patients to specialists.

One major issue, Lakhoyan Olivier maintains, is that many women rarely see a gynecologist. “In many cases, women only see a gynecologist if a serious problem occurs,” she said. “That should not be the case. Preventive care should include gynecological consultations after a certain age, especially during perimenopause and menopause.”

Menopause’s economic impact

As she sees it, menopause also makes an economic impact on women’s lives. Research from the Menopause Foundation of Canada indicates that unmanaged menopause symptoms cost the Canadian economy about $3.5 billion per year in lost productivity and reduced workforce participation.

Studies also show that about one in three women report menopause symptoms affecting their work performance. As such, some women leave the workforce because they don’t receive proper support.

“Even today, many women hesitate to talk about menopause,” she added, noting that research shows many employees don’t feel comfortable discussing menopause in the workplace because of stigma and lack of awareness.

“Starting the conversation publicly is essential to changing that culture,” she said. “If we truly value women, we must also care about their health at every stage of life. Starting this conversation is the first step.”