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    Interest Groups

    All current CBS members are eligible to participate in CBS Interest Groups. 

    Interest Groups help to further the CBS’s mission to build bioethics capacity through the facilitation of interdisciplinary and inter-professional networks of individuals to discuss topics of shared interest.

    Interest Groups promote engagement of our membership and enable the exchange of ideas around bioethics issues. They may also be intended for peer support, mentorship, or professional development for students or practitioners of bioethics.

    Interest Groups can reflect a range of professions and areas of bioethics inquiry and practice, including theory, policy, research and clinical applications. Formats can vary and could include paper presentations, journal clubs, or online discussions. The format of the group and the frequency of meetings are determined by the members of each Interest Group. See below for a list of current CBS Interest Groups and instructions on how to join. 

    See the Roles and Responsibilities for CBS Interest Groups for more information.

    Benefits of CBS Interest Groups include:

    • Opportunity to engage with people across the country on topics of shared interest
    • Enriched discussions through contributions from a wide range of disciplines and areas of practice
    • Formation of supportive relationships and networks
    • Ability to reach new participants interested in joining the group, through promotion by the CBS
    • Facilitated meeting time and space during in-person CBS conferences

    To join a CBS Interest Group, please click here.  

    group of people attending a seminar

    Current CBS Interest Groups

    *This list is evolving; please check back as new Interest Groups are formed.

    To submit a request to form a new CBS Interest Group, please click here.

    These groups promote the exchange of ideas and resources around specific areas of bioethics. They are open to all interested CBS members.

    First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Ethics

    Tim Mt. Pleasant and Meredith Schwartz
    The focus of this group will be on First Nations, Métis or Inuit (FNMI) people and matters of interest to them, particularly within the scope of work actually or potentially targeted by Bioethicists or by FNMI people broadly, that fall within this scope. We will prioritize topics within the North American context and incorporate creative approaches, such as art, film, theatre, dance, or academic journal articles, utilizing both peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed materials. The format of the group will be fluid, established through consensus of participants.

    Rural and Remote Ethics

    Christy Simpson
    This group provides an opportunity to engage and explore together what 'ethics' means in smaller settings. This may include reflecting upon how ethics issues are traditionally framed and addressed and how it may be appropriate to reframe or reconsider these in rural or remote contexts.

    Ethics in Nursing

    Virginia McLaughlin and Monique Visser
    This group aims to be a forum for ethical issues in nursing. It will be a space for online discussions of ethical issues in nursing practice and to share and discuss journal articles on ethics in nursing.

    Environmental Bioethics

    Mark Knight and Amélie Packo-Provence
    In 1971, Van Rensselaer Potter created the term “Bioethics” to describe a new philosophy that integrated human biology, values, and medicine along with ecology. This interest group will focus on the environmental aspects of bioethics including but not limited to climate change, pollution, human population, future generations, ecology, and resource conservation.

    Feminist Bioethics

    Kimberly O'Donnell and Angel Petropanagos
    This group provides a space to explore feminist bioethics frameworks, both in theory and practice, and their relevance to current debates, such as reproductive justice, autonomy, and health equity. Open to all, this group aims to foster community, collaboration, and critical dialogue around feminist approaches to bioethics.

    Religion and Bioethics

    Cory Andrew Labrecque
    Many founders of contemporary bioethics were theologians who understood the relevance and significance of religious moral reasoning and value systems for their research in biomedicine. Religions have had – and continue to have – a very close and engaging relationship with medicine and health care that has produced a rich and extensive body of work in bioethics. This group includes those interested in constructive and civil conversation on the intersection between religion and bioethics writ large.

    MAiD & Bioethics

    Marie-Ève Bouthillier, Timothy Holland, and Andrea Frolic
    This group explores the intersection of MAiD and bioethics, welcoming multidisciplinary perspectives from social science, theological ethics, philosophy, the humanities, and clinical practice. We aim to build a national network of scholars and practitioners to foster ethical reflection, research collaboration, and peer support.

    Disability Ethics

    Andria Bianchi
    The purpose of this group is to provide members with an opportunity to engage in meaningful reflection and learning about topics that fall under the large umbrella of “disability ethics”. Anyone is welcome to join - no previous learning about disability ethics nor any particular expertise is required.

    Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare Ethics

    Rosalind Abdool and Jennifer Bell
    This group brings together participants with an interest in AI and healthcare ethics to discuss timely academic articles that highlight ethical aspects of AI in the context of healthcare practice, research, and education. Participants may also share relevant resources (e.g., webinars, articles) to support connectivity on this emerging topic.

    Global Bioethics

    Al-Noor Nenshi Nathoo and Jim Dwyer
    This group aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration on ethical issues related to health, healthcare and the natural world, at a global level. In a world rife with increasing division, polarization and inequity, choosing dialogue, understanding and measured, purposive action can be an important antidote to despair and inertia.

    Paediatric Bioethics

    Randi Zlotnik Shaul
    This group is a community of people engaged in paediatric bioethics activity. It is a forum for members to support members with challenging consultations, share practices, collaborate on projects and research, and keep up to date on current issues in paediatric bioethics.

    Moral Distress

    Esther Alonso-Prieto
    This group provides a space for collective reflection and dialogue on effective ways to address moral distress in healthcare. Through shared inquiry, it seeks to reframe traditional understandings of this experience and explore morally empowering approaches that recognize its multifaceted and complex nature.

    Mental Health and Substance Use Health

    Daniel Buchman and Michael Montess
    This group aims to promote ethics in mental health and substance use health across practice, research, policy, and education. We seek to enhance dialogue and advance rigorous scholarly discussion in these contexts.

    Research Ethics

    Hillary Ferguson and Paola Cubillos
    This group provides a dedicated forum for meaningful, ongoing dialogue among those working in or studying research ethics across disciplinary and institutional contexts. It explores the ethical dimensions of research, including informed consent, research governance, equity in participant recruitment, and the ethics of emerging technologies and methodologies.

    First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Ethics

    Tim Mt. Pleasant and Meredith Schwartz
    The focus of this group will be on First Nations, Métis or Inuit (FNMI) people and matters of interest to them, particularly within the scope of work actually or potentially targeted by Bioethicists or by FNMI people broadly, that fall within this scope. We will prioritize topics within the North American context and incorporate creative approaches, such as art, film, theatre, dance, or academic journal articles, utilizing both peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed materials. The format of the group will be fluid, established through consensus of participants.

    These groups provide peer support, mentorship or professional development for people in particular roles related to bioethics. They are open to all CBS members who fit the role description. 

    Practising Healthcare Ethicists

    Amanda Porter
    This forum is for Practising Healthcare Ethicists (PHEs) and Fellows to collaborate and learn from each other. The group will primarily explore clinical and organizational issues as they arise for participants. *Group is restricted to PHEs, Clinical and Organizational Ethics Fellows/Interns, and clinicians or administrators who are responsible for providing ethics support within their organizations.

    Students in Bioethics

    Ella Lombardi
    This group provides a student-centred forum for engaging with key questions in bioethics, fostering collaboration, dialogue, and professional development. It aims to cultivate an academic community that supports intellectual curiosity and the exploration of emerging issues and opportunities within the field. *This group is restricted to undergraduate and graduate students.

    Nursing Students / Early Career Nurses

    Josée Bonneau
    Navigating healthcare ethical realities as a nursing student or early career nurse can be overwhelming and distressing. Creating a bilingual community of practice where nursing students and early career nurses from across Canada can come together to share, build ethical capacities to navigate the healthcare system realities and feel empowered is the focus of this group. *This group is restricted to nursing students and early career nurses.

    Indigenous Ethics

    Meredith Schwartz and Tim Mt. Pleasant
    The focus of this group will be on Indigenous work in bioethics and Indigenous ethics as it applies in a health care context. We will concentrate on approaches from across North America.

    Rural and Remote Ethics

    Christy Simpson
    This group provides an opportunity to engage and explore together what 'ethics' means in smaller settings. This may include reflecting upon how ethics issues are traditionally framed and addressed and how it may be appropriate to reframe or reconsider these in rural or remote contexts.

    Ethics in Nursing

    Virginia McLaughlin and Monique Visser
    This group aims to be a forum for ethical issues in nursing. It will be a space for online discussions of ethical issues in nursing practice and to share and discuss journal articles on ethics in nursing.

    Environmental Bioethics

    Mark Knight
    In 1971, Van Rensselaer Potter created the term “Bioethics” to describe a new philosophy that integrated human biology, values, and medicine along with ecology. This interest group will focus on the environmental aspects of bioethics including but not limited to climate change, pollution, human population, future generations, ecology, and resource conservation.

    Religion and Bioethics

    Cory Andrew Labrecque
    Many founders of contemporary bioethics were theologians who understood the relevance and significance of religious moral reasoning and value systems for their research in biomedicine. Religions have had – and continue to have – a very close and engaging relationship with medicine and health care that has produced a rich and extensive body of work in bioethics. This group includes those interested in constructive and civil conversation on the intersection between religion and bioethics writ large.

    Ethics Fellowship Directors

    Andrea Frolic
    We aim to: Develop common frameworks, tools and curricula for Ethics Fellows across Canada; Align Ethics Fellowship training standards with emerging international professionalization efforts; Support the development of the next generation of Healthcare Ethicists in Canada. *Group is restricted to those with formal responsibilities for PHE Fellowship program development and implementation/ ongoing supervision of Ethics Fellows within Canadian organizations/ programs.

    MAiD & Bioethics

    Marie-Ève Bouthillier, Timothy Holland, and Andrea Frolic
    This group explores the intersection of MAiD and bioethics, welcoming multidisciplinary perspectives from social science, theological ethics, philosophy, the humanities, and clinical practice. We aim to build a national network of scholars and practitioners to foster ethical reflection, research collaboration, and peer support.

    Disability Ethics

    Andria Bianchi
    The purpose of this group is to provide members with an opportunity to engage in meaningful reflection and learning about topics that fall under the large umbrella of “disability ethics”. Anyone is welcome to join - no previous learning about disability ethics nor any particular expertise is required.

    Practising Healthcare Ethicists

    Amanda Porter
    This forum is for Practising Healthcare Ethicists (PHEs) and Fellows to collaborate and learn from each other. The group will primarily explore clinical and organizational issues as they arise for participants. *Group is restricted to PHEs, Clinical and Organizational Ethics Fellows/Interns, and clinicians or administrators who are responsible for providing ethics support within their organizations.

    Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare Ethics

    Rosalind Abdool and Jennifer Bell
    This group brings together participants with an interest in AI and healthcare ethics to discuss timely academic articles that highlight ethical aspects of AI in the context of healthcare practice, research, and education. Participants may also share relevant resources (e.g., webinars, articles) to support connectivity on this emerging topic.

    Global Bioethics

    Al-Noor Nenshi Nathoo and Jim Dwyer
    This group aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration on ethical issues related to health, healthcare and the natural world, at a global level. In a world rife with increasing division, polarization and inequity, choosing dialogue, understanding and measured, purposive action can be an important antidote to despair and inertia.

    Paediatric Bioethics

    Randi Zlotnik Shaul
    This group is a community of people engaged in paediatric bioethics activity. It is a forum for members to support members with challenging consultations, share practices, collaborate on projects and research, and keep up to date on current issues in paediatric bioethics.

    Moral Distress

    Esther Alonso-Prieto
    This group provides a space for collective reflection and dialogue on effective ways to address moral distress in healthcare. Through shared inquiry, it seeks to reframe traditional understandings of this experience and explore morally empowering approaches that recognize its multifaceted and complex nature.

    Mental Health and Substance Use Health

    Daniel Buchman and Michael Montess
    This group aims to promote ethics in mental health and substance use health across practice, research, policy, and education. We seek to enhance dialogue and advance rigorous scholarly discussion in these contexts.

    Students in Bioethics

    Ella Lombardi
    This group provides a student-centred forum for engaging with key questions in bioethics, fostering collaboration, dialogue, and professional development. It aims to cultivate an academic community that supports intellectual curiosity and the exploration of emerging issues and opportunities within the field. *This group is restricted to undergraduate and graduate students.

    Nursing Students / Early Career Nurses

    Josée Bonneau
    Navigating healthcare ethical realities as a nursing student or early career nurse can be overwhelming and distressing. Creating a bilingual community of practice where nursing students and early career nurses from across Canada can come together to share, build ethical capacities to navigate the healthcare system realities and feel empowered is the focus of this group. *This group is restricted to nursing students and early career nurses.