Good morning, Mr. Chair, honourable members, ladies and gentlemen.
Alzheimer's disease killed my father. The unrelenting emotional and physical stress also led to the death of my mother. That was 30 years ago, when we knew very little about this disease.
Dr. Alois Alzheimer first studied it in 1901, 115 years ago, and still there's no effective treatment, let alone a cure. I think that underlines the vital importance now of the passage of Bill C-233, and, following that passage, meaningful funding to help people whose lives are being profoundly affected by the heartbreak of dementia.
Just three years ago, there were only 13 countries in the world with dementia strategies. Now we have 28. I can say that after years of inaction and little progress, enthusiasm, optimism, and real action appear to be at hand. For one thing, the World Health Organization at its assembly in May of next year hopes to pass a global plan of action on dementia. It has a very blunt message: governments must implement national plans to fight dementia, take action, and do it now.
Alzheimer's Disease International research says that every three seconds, a new case of dementia is recorded in the world. Momentum, of course, is building in Canada. It begins with the passage of Bill C-233, which we need, and the Senate report on dementia released yesterday, which we also need, to help build that forward motion to chart a course of action behind the bill.
I know of no one better equipped to talk about that course of action than my colleague Mimi Lowi-Young. She has worked hard formulating that action for several years now.
Mimi.