Mr. Speaker, a Canadian woman has a one in nine chance of getting breast cancer in her lifetime.
In fact, Canada has one of the highest rates of breast cancer in the world. Each year 16,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and tragically over 5,000 die each year from this disease.
In November 1993 Health Canada, in conjunction with a number of organizations, hosted a national forum on breast cancer. One of the principal recommendations was that we must develop a new sense of urgency to deal with this disease.
Specifically they recommended the need for improved research funding, coupled with a need to provide women with better access to information, effective screening and treatment programs.
We can and must do more to address this urgent and pressing need. Breast cancer can and must be beaten for the benefit of all Canadians.