Mr. Speaker, as the shadow minister for health, I rise to recognize the outstanding leadership of medical students across Canada.
More than 75 medical students from 15 medical schools are on Parliament Hill today for the Canadian Federation of Medical Students National Day of Action. These future physicians are meeting with parliamentarians to address one of the most urgent challenges facing Canada's health care system: the crisis in our emergency departments.
There are 6.5 million Canadians who do not have access to a family doctor. This is forcing far too many people to rely on emergency rooms, which are already at a breaking point. Patients are waiting hours, sometimes days, for care. These medical students are determined to change that. Their advocacy, skills and commitment to improving access to timely, high-quality care give Canadians hope.
I thank each of the participants here today for their commitment to improving health care in Canada. All Canadians are looking forward to seeing them on the front lines soon.