Mr. Speaker, November is Osteoporosis Month.
Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease which causes bones to become brittle and break easily. More than one million Canadian women over the age of 50 have osteoporosis and another two million are at risk of developing the disease. Further, there are 400,000 Canadian men who are suffering.
Through education and awareness this disease can be prevented and treated. For this reason Health Canada provides financial assistance to the Osteoporosis Society of Canada and its "build better bones" campaign which encourages Canadians to assess their diet, ensure adequate calcium intake and make healthier lifestyle choices.
The Canada prenatal nutrition program gives mothers to be counselling and proper nutrition so they can increase their calcium intake. Educating women on how to stay healthy before and after pregnancy improves the lives of the next generation of Canadians.
I am pleased that these initiatives have the well-being of every generation in mind and suggest that perhaps MPs should audit their own lifestyles and take action now.