Madam Speaker, May is Speech and Hearing Month. It is important to recognize Canada's outstanding speech-language pathologists, audiologists and communication health assistants, who I was honoured to work with as regional director of the Canadian Hearing Society.
Speech-Language & Audiology Canada will be highlighting the importance of early detection and intervention of speech, language, swallowing, hearing and balance disorders. This builds on the early hearing detection report card released last month, which noted that Canada's overall grade still remained “insufficient”.
The ability to speak, to listen and to be heard is vital. Children's access to hearing care should not be determined by their personal circumstances. Professionals seek to ensure optimal communication health whether they are working with a hard-of-hearing child or adult or a family dealing with dementia.
I ask my colleagues to join me in observing Speech and Hearing Month in Canada.