Mr. Speaker, many colleagues on both sides of the House are celebrating Vyshyvanka Day, which is a day when we wear beautiful clothing, originating from Ukrainian heritage, something of which we are all very proud.
Since the debate began, I have listened to the comments of opposition members, as well as my Liberal colleagues, on how they feel about this very important issue. It is important to start off by saying that we are all very much aware of autism spectrum disorder and the consequences of that on our society. I often hear members across the way, in particular, talk about the numbers, and that range from one in 68, to one in 70-something, to 500,000 children. Therefore, it is important to recognize there are different levels of autism spectrum disorder.
I am familiar with the issue in two ways. First, it is very much a family issue for me personally, as it is for the sponsor of the motion. Second, I come from the perspective of having been a health care critic in Manitoba. The overall expenditures of health care for that government continue to grow into the billions of dollars. I will talk to the importance of the different stakeholders, which include the provinces, territories, non-profit groups, and many others.
For those who may be listening, when we talk about autism, many people might be able to identify quite quickly some of the issues. When we talk about the large number of Canadians who are impacted, which is a significant percentage, one might be able to pick up on it in a relatively quick fashion. However, that is not the only situation, as many people with autism still have not been diagnosed. Therefore, we really do not know the number.
Asperger's syndrome is a form of autism. For example, many people speculate, and some believe, that Albert Eienstein had Asperger's. Dan Aykroyd has indicated he has Asperger's syndrome. Other individuals have talked about this. Because someone has autism, it does not mean he or she is completely dysfunctional. In fact, those people are just as lovable as individuals without Asperger's syndrome and can function fully in society in many different ways. We should also talk about that.
I am as proud of my family members as is the sponsor of the resolution when he talks about his son. I am very proud of the way my family members have been able to overcome some of the disadvantages of having autism. However, I also recognize that certain aspects of Asperger's syndrome will enable some individuals to excel. Some of the greatest musicians in the world have had some connection to Asperger's. I have heard some of their music.
Therefore, when we talk about this, I do not think we should try to apply one label that fits all. I will not accuse members of that, but it is important—