Thank you very much, Ms. Sidhu, for the question. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the leadership that you've shown with respect to the area of diabetes and also for the work that you've done on the all-party caucus on diabetes, and thank you for bringing forward the motion to ensure that the HESA committee could study this very important issue.
We certainly recognize that many Canadians live with diabetes, either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and we certainly recognize that there are many contributing risk factors as to why people live with diabetes. Our government is deeply concerned with this area, and that's why we've made significant investments there.
I was very pleased that in budget 2016-17, an investment of $47 million was made in the area of diabetes research. We've also been able to partner with the JDRF, and we were able to collaboratively invest $30 million in the research component of type 1 diabetes. We still have some work to do with respect to that investment, but the money continues to roll out.
Also, I have to say that I was very pleased that over the past several months, I've been able to meet with officials from Diabetes Canada, and they've been able to provide me with a snapshot of the good work that is being done.
I was very pleased to hear about the Diabetes 360° program that they have brought forward. Just a few weeks ago—and I think I saw many of you there that day—they had their mobile unit here on the Hill, and many of us were able to stop in. I think that several members of the health committee were there, as I'm looking around the table. Many of you had your health checks and had your report cards that looked at the risk factors associated with diabetes. Again, we certainly are pleased with the work that Diabetes Canada is doing.
Finally, I think that as a government, we've certainly done a lot of work in addressing the risk factors for diabetes. We recognize that diabetes is a serious, chronic disease, and, as I indicated at the very beginning, we recognize that it affects millions of people and that investments made at the front end can certainly prevent people from living with and suffering from diabetes.
More work needs to be done in the area of research with respect to treatment and prevention. I know that as health minister, I'm extremely pleased with the investments that we've made and the strategies that we've brought forward, such as the healthy eating strategy and the tobacco strategy. We certainly recognize that education also needs to be done to ensure that Canadians are aware of the risk factors associated with diabetes.