Written by Melissa Secord, National Executive Director, Celiac Canada, May 27, 2026
On May 5, Celiac Canada hosted its third annual gluten-free breakfast reception on Parliament Hill. Sponsored by MP Sonia Sidhu, Chair of the Celiac Caucus, the event reflects her ongoing commitment to the celiac community following her daughter’s diagnosis.
This year’s reception saw record attendance, with the Minister of Health and more than 65 Members of Parliament, Senators, and staff from all parties joining us to learn about the key issues facing Canadians living with celiac disease.
A highlight of the event was Andy Carnovale’s powerful 16-foot display of hundreds of food receipts, vividly illustrating the complicated and burdensome process of claiming the incremental cost of gluten-free foods. The display along with comparing the cost of gluten-free and regular products, created much discussion and surprise for those attendees first learning about our challenges. In addition, two community members shared personal stories that underscored the significant challenges of food insecurity and the unacceptably long delays many face in receiving a diagnosis.
What’s Next?
We will take the momentum from this event to continue meeting with key Members of Parliament and Senators and stakeholders to create support for the inclusion of our recommendations in the Fall Federal Budget.
Following the reception, members of our delegation met with policymakers to discuss priorities related to health, agriculture, and finance. They also attended Question Period, where supportive statements about our community were shared in the House of Commons.
We are deeply grateful to the many members of the celiac community who took the time to write to and call their Members of Parliament, encouraging them to attend. Your advocacy helped make this year’s event our most impactful yet.
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