Mr. Speaker, May is MS Awareness Month.
In what has become a tradition in this place, the MS Society is here to pin carnations on MPs to bring attention to this challenging disease.
Canada is famous for hockey in the world, but we are infamous because we have the largest number of MS sufferers globally.
While there is no defined cause for multiple sclerosis, new research tells us that there are many factors: lifestyle, environmental, genetic and biological. We must do more research. There is no cure for MS. New treatments continue to evolve, allowing people to be able to work and live better lives, although there is still workplace discrimination.
Those with MS and their families face financial challenges, the stress of caregiving and the need for home retrofits.
I encourage all members to reach out to local MS chapters in their regions, learn about MS and the needs of these Canadians, and commit to funding research into causes and finding a cure.