moved for leave to introduce Bill C-496, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (medical expenses).
Mr. Speaker, I thank the seconder of this bill, the hon. member from Burnaby—Douglas. In summary, we hope that this private member's bill will assist thousands upon thousands of Canadians who obtain their medical prescriptions from a licensed physician.
The purpose of this enactment is to expand the list of allowable medical expense deductions in the Income Tax Act to include expenses incurred due to a herbal remedy prescribed as a substitute for a prescription drug that would qualify as a medical expense under the act, but which a person cannot use because he or she has severe allergies or environmental sensitivities to that drug.
I wish to thank the environmental health clinic of Nova Scotia, which is in my riding, in Fall River, for helping us to draft the legislation and all those people in Canada who have supported the bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)