Yes, Mr. Chairman. I don't know where the parliamentary secretary comes up with his figures get his ideas. I have a document that I received from Health Canada advising me that the sale of silicone gel breast implants is currently outlawed in Canada and that there is no experimental testing under way in Canada involving this type of breast implants.
It's incorrect to state that the moratorium was lifted in 1993. In 1996 and 1997, silicone gel breast implants were no longer available through the Special Access Program for Medical Devices because the United States had deemed them to be too great a health risk and had banned their use, even for breast reconstructions. Despite this ban, a total of 24,000 requests were approved and requests from women continue to be approved, although they are not given any information and made aware of the risks. They are only informed after the fact, once they are ill and experiencing problems. A program initially developed to help people maintain their health should not normally be used for this purpose. This has to stop.