Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge volunteers present from the ALS Society of Canada.
The ALS Society of Canada, founded in 1977, is the only national voluntary health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Three thousand Canadians suffer from ALS and two to three Canadians with ALS die every day.
I have been personally affected by this disease as my father succumbed to ALS a number of years ago, and, in 2005, I introduced a private member's bill that would ensure that June of every year in Canada would be known as ALS month.
There is no effective treatment for ALS and no known cure. Volunteers and staff of the ALS Society participate in annual fundraising events throughout the country to create public awareness about the disease and raise funds to find a cure.
I urge all Canadians to donate to their provincial ALS societies so that the dream of finding a cure can soon become a reality.