Nicole Demers

[Women's History Month, October 31st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, October is Women's History Month. Inaugurated in 1992, the month offers a fine opportunity to recognize women's contribution to society. This year's theme is “Women and War: Contributions and Consequences”.

Women have made major contributions to the war effort and to the peace movement. Their emancipation on the labour market was one of the results of that involvement. Women have made great strides in providing a voice for the victims of armed conflict, who are often women and children,

They have played a lead role in encouraging peaceful solutions, while defending human rights. Many women have lost a father, husband or children to war. Many have been left to raise their families alone.

We in the Bloc Québécois are grateful to these women who have made their mark on history.

[Breast Cancer, October 26th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, October is breast cancer awareness month and a time to raise money for research.

Currently, one in nine Canadian women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. In 2005, an estimated 21,600 women will be diagnosed with this terrible disease and 5,300 will die of it.

Five years ago, I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. I know just how much this experience affects our lives and those of our partners, children and loved ones. I am among the survivors, one of the ones in remission.

In recent years, huge advances have been made as a result of research. That is why, since 1993, breast cancer incidence rates have stabilized and mortality rates have dropped.

I invite all my colleagues to support this important cause and to think about the thousands of women with breast cancer.

[Trade Compensation Act, October 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge the good faith of my colleague, but the companies asked for studies have not provided any long term ones.

Women are not properly informed; they do not have all the information they require. When they get these implants, it may not be a matter of serious or dangerous illness, but that will likely be the case in ten years. Then we will see what happens.

I find it unfortunate that this problem is being discussed and that we have no assurance that silicone-gel breast implants are definitely harmless to the women of Quebec and Canada who will have to make decisions relating to their appearance, or their health, if it is a matter of breast reconstruction. Unfortunately, some 18% of women who have implant surgery are having breast reconstruction. On the other hand, about 80% do so solely for cosmetic purposes. I find that most unfortunate.

I would like to ask my colleague whether he can assure me that the members of the expert committee consulted by Health Canada will be excluded from sitting on it again if they have a conflict of interest. Only last week, one of them wrote an article in praise of silicone-gel implants. I feel it is an appalling conflict of interest for someone to be continuing to work for these companies while a consultant to Health Canada—

[Trade Compensation Act, October 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I rose in the House recently to ask a question concerning silicone gel breast implants. Unfortunately, the answer that I got did not satisfy me. I will thus try to get a better one today.

It has been brought to my attention that the medical devices special access program, intended for serious, dangerous or even deadly diseases, has been used excessively to allow surgeons to procure silicone gel breast implants. Thus, they can carry out breast augmentations, replacements following implant rupture, or breast reconstructions.

These silicone gel implants have not been approved by Health Canada. These are the third generation of silicone gel implants. We have experienced major problems with the other two generations. It has not been proven in any way that implants from this new generation are safe or harmless for women.

I am worried because Health Canada has taken a rather lax attitude with respect to the distribution of such breast implants. It is actually moving toward a culture of acceptable risk. Surgeons are being allowed to procure and use breast implants that have not even been approved. In the 1990s, their use was denounced, and it was demanded that production be stopped. Today, surgeons are nevertheless allowed, for very unconvincing reasons, to be supplied with breast implants filled with silicone gel whose long term effects are unknown.

Unfortunately, in previous years we saw that the long term effects could be disastrous. We have seen that approximately 70% of women who undergo breast augmentation using silicone gel implants experience serious problems, including implant rupture as well as capsular contracture. Women experience all sorts of very serious problems because of these implants.

There is one thing I am having more and more of a problem with, and I am realizing it today. The initial surgery is elective surgery and, as such, is paid for by the client. However, subsequent surgeries to remove a breast implant or treat a patient are at public expense. As we know, the health system is seriously overloaded at present and it cannot absorb additional costs. In addition, these companies do not produce comprehensive reports or studies on the safety of these implants.

I would like the parliamentary secretary to tell me something. When the program was established in 1993, there were 17 requests granted every year at first. That was not very many, and it was mainly for the purpose of reconstruction. It continued until 1997. In 1997 and 1998, approval for the use of these implants was totally discontinued because, at the time, class action suits were likely to be won. Now, the number of requests sought and granted has grown to 6,211 a year. In 2004 alone, the use of 6,211 silicone gel breast implants was authorized. I find all that very unfortunate and worrisome. I would like to know why this is happening.

[Commemoration of the Persons Case, October 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, October 18 is the anniversary of the Persons case, which is a reminder that women's rights were hard won.

In 1927, Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards asked the Supreme Court of Canada to declare that the word “person” included women. The answer was no, and they were denied access to judgeships and seats in the House of Commons and the Senate.

The case went before the British Privy Council, which ruled in their favour on October 18, 1929. The English lords determined “that the exclusion of women from all public offices is a relic of days more barbarous than ours”.

Let us pay tribute to them today for opening the first doors to gender equality.

[Health, October 5th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, Health Canada has admitted approving 10,000 applications for silicone-gel breast implants in the past two years under the special access program, which is intended only for individuals suffering from serious or life-threatening illnesses.

How can the Minister of Health justify using this program related to serious or life-threatening illnesses in order to approve such a significant number of applications for breast implants, without first conducting any major studies as to their safety?

[National Women's Centres Day, October 4th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the first Tuesday of October is National Women's Centres Day. There are 98 women's centres in Quebec, which belong to a network of women's centres.

Women's centres are working to ensure equality for women. Their activities fall into three categories: first, intake, support and self-help. Second, there are educational activities such as workshops, meetings and a newsletter. Finally, there are collective actions, such as protests, representation on various boards of administration and a number of actions for solidarity.

Women's centres have helped thousands of women through times of crisis, to find the tools they need and to become independent, and they raise public awareness about the importance of gender equality and social justice.

I want to highlight the excellent work done by the Centre des femmes de Laval. I wish all the women's centres in Quebec a good day.

[International Day of Older Persons, October 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, Saturday was the 15th International Day of Older Persons, which was created by the UN to follow up on the International Plan of Action on Ageing, adopted in 1982.

Quebec's theme this year was, “What would a tree be without its roots?”.

Older persons have made Quebec what it is today through their legacy of knowledge and values, which have shaped our society. We should now assure them a decent life and in particular we should strengthen intergenerational contacts so our young people can learn from their elders.

I want to acknowledge the work that agencies for older persons do in Laval, agencies such as the Rendez-vous des aînés, Maison des grands-parents, and Place des aînés.

[Anne-Marie Alonzo, September 28th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, Anne-Marie Alonzo, a playwright, poet, novelist, and founder of Les Éditions Trois and the Festival de Trois, passed away in June.

A woman of commitment, she made a significant contribution to Quebec literature. Her wide-ranging poetry contrasted with the physical restrictions she lived with following a 1966 car accident which, in her own words, stopped her body from beating.

She also played a leadership role in the Quebec women's movement. Her feminist involvement was reflected in her editorial choices as well as in La vie en rose and the Gazette des femmes .

Anne-Marie loved beauty and life. She has left life and beauty, but she has left words and ideas behind.

Anne-Marie, you transcended your limitations and gave profound meaning to a life too short. Thank you for having lived so intensely and for your wonderful legacy.

[Elimination of Poverty, June 28th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, this morning, the Make Poverty History coalition as well as performers and organizers of the Live 8 concert brought the Prime Minister thousands of postcards with the names of nearly 40,000 Quebeckers and Canadians calling for a world without poverty.

More than 800 million human beings will go to bed hungry tonight and, today, more than 50,000 people will die from poverty related causes.

Increasing and optimizing international aid up to 0.7% of GDP, making trade fair, and continuing debt cancellation for poor countries are all tangible ways of fighting this scourge.

The Bloc Québécois urges the Prime Minister to champion such efforts at the next G-8 summit, at the UN millennium summit in September and at the WTO meeting in December.

Poverty is a hindrance to the development and fulfilment of those who live in it. Canada must act and do its fair share.