Mr. Speaker, each and every one of us knows an exceptional person who is part of that group of people who take care of Canadians' physical, mental and social health.
In addition to taking care of the least fortunate and most vulnerable members of our society, that person works long hours in often difficult conditions and far too often at the expense of his or her own health.
That extraordinary person has to constantly evolve and adapt to new conditions, keep his or her knowledge and expertises current, and deal with difference, worry, fear and even death every single day.
That person practises one of the most highly regarded and most gratifying professions in the world. You guessed it: that person is a nurse.
I am keenly aware of this because I have the immense honour of being a nurse myself, which is why on this May 12, on behalf of Canadians from coast to coast, it is my pleasure to thank each and every one of the 300,000 nurses in Canada and wish them a very happy International Nurses Day.