Mr. Speaker, in the coming weeks, Canadian medical students will hear news of their residency placements.
This week is national residents week that recognizes the contributions of more than 9,000 medical residents who are a valued and critical part of Canadian health care delivery.
Residency sees newly minted doctors move from medical school to advanced training in their chosen specialty. Residency is an important part of our country's training for emerging physicians.
I can speak to the demands of residency programs, having watched my wife go through the rigors of residency several years back. My wife's program involved an entirely female cohort of eight residents in Chilliwack, B.C. Our family, including our three young children, met these female colleagues on several occasions.
We finally had an opportunity to meet the second year residents who included several men. My five-year-old daughter was perplexed by this development, wondering if boys could also be doctors.
I commend the women and men who are currently in their residency programs across Canada. I look forward to seeing them successfully complete their training and join their colleagues in providing the excellent medical services that define part of who we are as Canadians.