Nancy Hamzawi, the head of Canada's Public Health Agency (PHAC), faced pointed questions from a Conservative Member of Parliament regarding the use of gender-inclusive language in official guidance, particularly concerning women's health. During a House of Commons committee hearing on November 3, Hamzawi struggled to provide a clear definition of a "pregnant person" when pressed by MP Vincent Neil Ho.
Ho questioned PHAC's approach, asking whether biological reality or gender ideology was more important in the agency's work related to women's health. Hamzawi stated she did not favor one over the other. When asked to define "pregnant person," she responded, "A pregnant person is a person who is pregnant." This answer prompted further questioning on how someone not identifying as a woman could become pregnant.
Hamzawi explained that some individuals who are pregnant do not identify as women, and that a person who identifies as a man but possesses the biological capacity to become pregnant can do so. Ho criticized the agency's communication on the matter, posting a video of the exchange on X and stating, "Our own Public Health Agency can't even clearly define the language it publishes in its public health guidance... or tell Canadians whether a man can get pregnant. This is what happens when Liberal identity politics take priority over clear communication about biological reality."
The exchange highlights an ongoing debate in Canada about gender-inclusive terminology in healthcare. PHAC has defended the use of terms like "pregnant people" as a way to acknowledge transgender men and nonbinary individuals who can become pregnant. In April 2026, Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended using both "pregnant women" and "pregnant people" in its guidance to ensure broad representation while including those who do not identify as female.
Hamzawi, who has led PHAC since June 2025, has an extensive background in government science and health policy, previously serving as an assistant deputy minister at Health Canada. She holds advanced degrees in chemical engineering and biochemistry from the University of Ottawa.