Mr. Speaker, today is the last day of Kidney month.
I am here to present the first of a number of petitions signed by thousands of people in the Peterborough riding and across the country, including Ken Sharp, who has been on dialysis his entire adult life, almost 25 years.
The petitioners are interested in a bioartificial kidney project which might, in the end, provide relief for those who are on dialysis. They point out that 18,000 Canadian citizens suffer from end stage kidney disease and that those on kidney dialysis and those successfully transplanted recognize the importance of the bioartificial kidney and of present treatments.
The petitioners point out that dialysis services across the country are inadequate. Therefore, these petitioners call upon parliament to work and support the bioartificial kidney which will eventually eliminate the need for both dialysis or transplantation for those suffering from kidney disease.