Mr. Speaker, today is World Polio Day, a day to highlight global efforts to end polio.
In 1996, Nelson Mandela said, “our aim is not merely to reduce the numbers afflicted—it is to eliminate the disease completely. No country can be safe from this disease until the whole world is rid of it.”
Today, we are so close to that goal, with Canada consistently playing a leading role. Three Canadian prime ministers, including former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, have been recipients of the Rotary Foundation's Polio Eradication Champion Award.
Canadian Jennifer Jones, who recently served as Rotary International's first female president, relentlessly continued Canada's leadership in this fight, working with dedicated partners like UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, Global Citizen, RESULTS and many others.
Here in this House, members from all parties have, time and again, united around efforts of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and the world is better for it. Now we need to finish the job.