Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Londoner, Sir Frederick Banting. Recently, Dr. Banting was nominated by Canadians as one of the top 10 Canadians on the CBC TV show
The Greatest Canadian.
Sir Frederick Banting completed his medical studies at the University of Toronto and established a surgical practice in London, Ontario. In 1921 he returned to the University of Toronto to conduct medical research with his colleague, Charles Best. As a result of their research, they co-discovered pancreatic hormone insulin which was to be used in treating diabetes.
In 1923 Sir Frederick Banting was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine. That same year the University of Toronto established the Banting-Best Department of Medical Research with Sir Banting as its director.
Sir Frederick Banting's discovery of insulin changed the lives not only of Canadians, but also of individuals around the world with diabetes. Prior to the discovery of insulin, the life expectancy of a person with diabetes was less than a year from diagnosis.