Canada’s top public health official who has glittering scientific background can’t say what a woman is

Canada’s public health chief, Nancy Hamzawi, faced questions in a parliamentary hearing about the agency’s use of gender-inclusive language in pregnancy guidance. The exchange highlights an ongoing debate over how healthcare information can recognise transgender men and non-binary people while communicating clearly about women’s health.

Conservative MP Vincent Neil Ho asked Hamzawi to define “pregnant person” and whether a man could become pregnant. She said some people who identify as men can become pregnant if they have the biological capacity, and that some pregnant people do not identify as women. Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended in April 2026 using both “pregnant women” and “pregnant people”; Hamzawi has led the Public Health Agency of Canada since June 2025.