Mr. Speaker, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and each year, 28,000 Canadians are diagnosed with breast cancer and thousands more live with its lasting impact. Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian women. As a two-time survivor of breast cancer, first diagnosed at age 42, I know first-hand about the importance of early detection. That is why I have long advocated for reducing the screening age from 50 to 40 in Canada so that women do not have to wait for mammography testing but rather have a choice.
I encourage all provinces to follow the lead of the United States, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Yukon, which have already reduced mammography screening to age 40. The Liberals agree and so does the Canadian Cancer Society that we need new national benchmarks to ensure that women across the country have access to early screening and detection.
I am proof that early detection saves lives, so I encourage all women to get their mammogram. It could make all the difference in their lives as well.