Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I was pleased to introduce my private member's bill, C-277, an act providing for the development of a framework on palliative care in Canada.
Currently, only 30% of Canadians have access to good palliative care. Hospital care is four times as expensive as home care, and hospice care is not fully funded. The bill would help implement a framework for palliative care in Canada, including the definition of services included, required training, and most importantly, measures to ensure consistent access for palliative care across the country.
Previously, the all parliamentary committee brought recommendations that are now captured in the bill. The NDP and the Liberals have both endorsed the need for palliative care. Now is the time to come together as parliamentarians to ensure that Canadians can choose to live as well as they can for as long as they can.