Madam Speaker, I would like to thank everyone who spoke today in support of private member's Motion No. 192, a motion to create equity for Canadians living with episodic disabilities. I am so blessed to have the support of such incredible colleagues in the House of Commons today.
Over the past few weeks, I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support I have received from tens of thousands of Canadians across Canada. I have heard from mothers, fathers, siblings and friends of Canadians suffering from episodic disabilities. I heard from countless organizations, like the MS Society of Canada, pledging their support for this motion. I have heard from so many of my fellow members of Parliament, senators and senior government officials, which shows how far-reaching this issue truly is. Most importantly, I have heard from thousands of sufferers of episodic disabilities in Canada, all of whom have inspired me to push even further on this incredibly important issue.
As members know, my wife Kathy suffers from multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, affecting the brain and spinal cord. It causes symptoms such as extreme fatigue, lack of coordination, weakness, tingling, impaired sensation, vision problems and the list goes on. Like most episodic disabilities, MS changes the lives of all of those impacted.
Episodic disabilities are also known as hidden disabilities. They are not easily seen, but are most definitely felt by the sufferer. These disabilities affect the vision, hearing, memory, mobility, flexibility, dexterity, pain and psychological conditions of an individual. Episodic disabilities include, but are not limited to, cancer, HIV, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, diabetes and the list goes on.
For too long, Canadians with episodic disabilities have not been properly recognized by government legislation. The unpredictable nature of their disabilities has made it almost impossible for these Canadians to have equal access to jobs, resources, treatments and even basic equality in government legislation. According to Statistics Canada, there are more than five million Canadians living with some form of disability. These disabilities affect the freedom, independence and quality of life of those who are affected and, sadly, over 200,000 of these disabled persons are children and youth.
I will do everything I can to advance the quality of life for those living with episodic disabilities with this motion and in the future. Once again, I thank everyone here today who has supported this motion and all Canadians who have reached out to tell their stories. We all know it is time to take action. It is time to vote yes and pass private member's Motion No. 192.
It is time to stand up for Canadians everywhere who are suffering from episodic disabilities. Together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive Canada where our compassion breaks down barriers for people living with disabilities of all kinds.