Mr. Speaker, May 12 to 18 marks the celebration of National Nursing Week 2003. This year's theme is “Nursing: At the Heart of Health Care”.
Nurses deal with difficult circumstances daily, both emotionally and physically. Their jobs are extremely challenging and they face many difficulties every day. This is especially true this year with the outbreak of SARS. Nurses are invaluable at any time, but especially with the SARS situation in all regions in Canada, especially in Toronto.
The nurses of Canada truly have acted as champions, standing by, supporting and leading Canadians in a collective effort to maintain and improve health.
Home care programs in Canada is one area that nurses in Canada are trying to improve for all Canadians. Nurses are pleased with the promise of dedicated funding for home care made in the most recent federal budget. Now we need to ensure that the funding is used in the most effective manner possible. We need to ensure that home care can be available to all Canadians no matter where they live in Canada.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the nurses in Canada for their tremendous efforts on behalf of the constituents in the riding of Lambton--Kent--Middlesex.