Mr. Chair, many people in my riding are suffering from type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In Manitoba, over 36,000 people are suffering from diabetes. Over 2 million Canadians are suffering from diabetes. In the aboriginal communities, diabetes is two to three times higher. Clearly, we have a severe problem on our hands with this disease.
Back in 1999 the health minister of the day mentioned that increased funding should be provided for a cure for juvenile diabetes or type 1. No specific new funding has been announced for research into juvenile diabetes since the Liberals made this promise.
Instead, virtually all the funding has been directed toward prevention of type 2. What is important is that a cure for juvenile diabetes would benefit both these conditions and eventually save taxpayers over $9 billion currently being spent on treating diabetes of all types in our health care system.
Why have the Liberals chosen to increase funding only for prevention programs for type 2 diabetes while ignoring the plight of young children with juvenile diabetes who face a lifelong independence of insulin shots, potential blindness, disabilities and early death?