Madam Speaker, my colleague is right in mentioning that these issues are up to the provinces. For this reason, the only concern this Parliament should have is related to criminal law and to maintain these prohibited activities.
When it comes to stem cells, what people need to know is that what makes these cells special is that there are approximately 150 of them that are available in the first days after conception of an embryo. These cells are extremely malleable and they can be used to regenerate tissue to treat a number of debilitating diseases.
However, using these stem cells requires destroying the embryo. This is an ethical and religious issue that is a concern for a great many of our colleagues here. I believe that if a person gives informed consent, if it has been proven to be unavoidable to use the cells, and research cannot be performed with other existing genetic material, then such a use should be authorized because it would allow us to improve the human condition.
Women who go to fertility clinics and who undergo cycles of ovarian stimulation may produce several embryos. If these embryos are not used, they will be discarded and destroyed. I believe that with informed consent—obviously this cannot be done without the person knowing—this could be a good way to advance research. It is a way to improve the human condition, particularly in cases of cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and juvenile diabetes.