Mr. Speaker, today marks World Tuberculosis Day and a day to draw awareness about the effects of TB, a disease with significant health, social and economic consequences. This year’s theme is “The Clock is Ticking”, and TB is an urgent matter.
In 2019, there were 1.4 million TB-related deaths around the world. The incidence of tuberculosis in Inuit Nunangat is more than 300 times higher than that in the non-indigenous, Canadian-born population.
That is why we are actively working in partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami across all four Inuit regions, investing more than $27 million to reduce and eradicate this disease by 2030
We know that through rapid diagnostics and better tests, we are treating active TB sooner and preventing transmission to families and communities.
I ask my colleagues today to raise the awareness to end the stigma and discrimination associated with tuberculosis. It is time for a Canada and world without TB. I ask that we all work together to end this epidemic.