Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of the thousands of MS patients throughout the country. In Newfoundland and Labrador alone we have 1,100 of these patients. They are asking the Government of Canada to take a leadership role in trying to ensure that the liberation treatment that is showing to be so helpful to MS patients be made available throughout the country.
Right now we find that, in different provinces, different approaches are being taken. Some provinces are doing a hands-off type of approach, while provinces such as Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan are in fact playing a leadership role, but again, offering a different type of approach.
We need some consistency for our MS patients. They need to know that they can avail of this liberation treatment, which tends to show that it is not a cure but a treatment that enables MS patients to lead better and more productive lives.
The point here is that time is not on the side of MS patients and waiting for more study is not helpful to them. We need to offer the liberation treatment simultaneously with research so that MS patients can avail of this treatment and move on with their lives.