OTTAWA — Human cloning and fusion of genetic material to create human-animal hybrids would be outlawed under draft legislation to be proposed Thursday by Health Minister Allan Rock.
Government sources say the proposals would ban other practices, including sex selection of babies for non-medical reasons and surrogate motherhood for profit.
Still other controversial genetic and reproductive procedures would be subject to regulation under a system yet to be worked out.
It will likely be months before the proposals are refined into final legislation that will go before the full House of Commons for debate and a vote.
Rock is to table the recommendations in the form of a draft bill that will be studied first by the Commons health committee, which is expected to hear a wide range of witnesses.
The seldom-used procedure allows for wider consultation — and greater scope for possible amendments — than is normally the case. Most government bills are pushed through with little or no change once introduced.
