Thank you, Madam Chair.
First, I would like to wish the whole committee team a happy new year. May I also extend those good wishes to everyone seated here and behind us.
As a GP, I am very familiar with the breast cancer issue. I also know that dense breast tissue is associated with a greater risk of breast cancer. I am also aware that dense tissue also decreases the reliability of mammography screening, the standard test, as it is called, in detecting breast cancer in women aged 50 and over.
I have already said in the House that I support this measure introduced by my colleague, Mr. Brown. It is a good thing to talk about this problem that, as Ms. Janz mentioned, is unfortunately taboo in families where illness, let alone cancer, is not talked about. My grandmother died of cancer, but I never found out which kind of cancer, because the word cancer was never even used. But customs and habits may well change with time. Without any doubt, awareness and information are very important.
Equal access to standard testing is something that concerns me. I have heard that Nunavut does not even have a screening centre. It concerns me greatly that such a situation exists in our country.
In addition, a point has been raised that affects me personally. It is all very well to talk about innovative methods and so on, but we have to have the people who can operate the equipment. Unfortunately, as you know, the health care system is suffering from a lack of specialist staff. Generally speaking, Canadian families do not have enough doctors to go round. This issue affects me personally and is one of the factors that led me to seek public office.
I am from Quebec, and I am very concerned. I think everyone has heard of the biopsy tests that had to be redone because of a fear that they have been improperly conducted. In 2007, 400 tests in Newfoundland were incorrectly done. The principle is good, but how are going to go about it?
Don't you think that first, we should find the people to work on awareness and information, or on getting the tests administered, and so on?