Mr. Speaker, today marks the first day of national environmental illness awareness month.
Over 4.5 million Canadians suffer from some degree of illness caused by the environment in which they work or live. Multiple chemical sensitivity, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibramyalgia are the three most common ailments and have the capacity to cause disabilities. People suffering from these diseases often experience debilitating pain and are unable to work or participate fully in society.
Environmental illness is a real problem. This national campaign seeks to develop greater public awareness in order to improve the health, social and medical well-being of those who suffer.
I commend Judith Spence of the Environmental Illness Society of Canada as well as representatives of the National ME/FM Action Network, ME Canada and MESH-Ottawa for their hard work. On behalf of my colleagues, I say to them good luck.