Mr. Speaker, April is daffodil month in Canada, an event formerly known as cancer month.
Annually, the Canadian Cancer Society organizes a countrywide fundraising campaign for cancer victims, sending thousands of volunteers door to door to collect donations for a very worthy cause. Last year in Ontario alone donations from generous Canadians provided more than $25 million for cancer research.
The sad facts are that 129,200 new cases of cancer were discovered in Canada in 1998, along with 62,700 cancer related deaths. The most frequent cancers continue to be breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men. During their lifetimes this is a real problem and research will help us combat cancer.
The daffodil, which the Canadian Cancer Society has chosen as a symbol, gives a sense of hope and renewed life. During the month of April I urge all Canadians to be generous and to contribute to the Canadian Cancer Society effort to combat this terrible disease. The reward is wonderful.