Mr. Speaker, as Canadians prepare for the next millennium, St. John Ambulance will also begin celebrating its very own millennium anniversary. With nearly 1,000 years of service dating back to the Crusades, it is the oldest organized charity in the world. It is tasked with enabling people to improve their health, safety and quality of life through the provision of first aid services and training.
The Mississauga branch of the organization has spearheaded numerous community initiatives in injury prevention and heart health. Most notable is its drive to strengthen the chain of survival for citizens in Mississauga and throughout the region of Peel.
To this end a firefighter defibrillation program was recently co-ordinated that enabled the Halton-Mississauga ambulance services to become eligible for the OPALS paramedic program and to champion a student CPR program that will see 14,000 grade 9 students trained to react to a cardiac emergency.
The work of the Mississauga branch of the order of St. John—