Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of a month of mourning for over 5,000 women who died of breast cancer in 1997. Every woman who died this year was someone's wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, aunt or cousin. Whenever I hear of another death from breast cancer I cannot help but think there might be some young child who is growing up without a mother.
Breast cancer takes one life every two hours in this country. These statistics are alarming and discouraging for the 18,600 women who are diagnosed each year.
In its throne speech the government announced that it will expand the Canadian breast cancer initiative. However there are no details about how and when the Liberals plan to do this.
The numbers speak for themselves. The time has come for action by this government to prioritize research dollars.
To the families who have suffered the loss of their loved ones to breast cancer, I extend—