Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House and all Canadians that May is Speech and Hearing Awareness Month across Canada. This is an opportunity to promote public understanding and to educate Canadians about the challenges faced by deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people.
In this era of advanced technology, we recognize the importance of being aware of and improving the situation for those who face hearing related communication barriers. Speech and Hearing Awareness Month is recognized by volunteers of professional organizations across Canada. They provide ongoing services to hearing impaired persons and are planning special activities for the month of May.
As someone hard of hearing and who deals with this on a daily basis, I ask all hon. members to please join me in congratulating the many organizations and volunteers who through their various programs continue to improve the quality of life for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing Canadians.