Leukemia Awareness Month  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their remarks of support. I celebrate the Canadians who are every day fighting this disease in their personal lives, the researchers who are fighting for an ultimate cure, and the volunteers who are already making June leukemia awareness month.

Leukemia Awareness Month  moved: That, in the opinion of this House, the government should recognize the month of June as Leukemia Awareness Month. Mr. Speaker, the results of the vote would indicate that clarity is a good thing, and we also think that awareness is a good thing. Awareness is as much a motherhood issue as is clarity.

Conference Of Women In The Francophonie  Mr. Speaker, Canada was represented at the first conference of women in the Francophonie in Luxembourg. Could the Secretary of State responsible for Francophonie tell us what commitments were made at this initial meeting?

Homelessness  Mr. Speaker, as winter is approaching, and this is the last day, we hope, that the House will be sitting this year and this millennium, I would like to know what the Government of Canada is doing to help with the homelessness crisis in this country. Do we have to wait until the next millennium?

Standing Committee On Finance  Mr. Speaker, I would like to affirm to the hon. member that the increase of $2,000, I believe, having attended a great number of the finance committee meetings, was in addition to the already scheduled increases. I think he will be relieved to hear that. In terms of smart spending in health care, I was extremely interested in the brief of the Canadian Healthcare Association, which said that putting more money into the health care system, even if were available, would not be the answer.

Standing Committee On Finance  Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I rise today to talk about the first report of the Standing Committee on Finance. First I would like to talk about the process because the content of the report is only as good as the process that preceded it. Coming from Women's College Hospital in Toronto where the motto was non quo sed quomodo, it is not what we do but how, I would like to celebrate the fact that this is a process by which our Liberal government can be extraordinarily proud.

Violence  Mr. Speaker, it was 10 years ago that Canada was stunned by the senseless, violent murder of 14 of our most promising young women. My question is for the Secretary of State for the Status of Women. What has the government done since then to prevent tragedies such as the Montreal massacre and the ongoing violence in women's daily lives here in Canada?

World Aids Day  Mr. Speaker, I rise today on World AIDS Day to bring attention to an important initiative by Health Canada to promote AIDS awareness. Last month the Minister of Health taped a segment with the popular music band, Wide Mouth Mason, to raise youth awareness of this disease and how it can be prevented.

Canadian Institutes Of Health Research Act  Mr. Speaker, I reassure the hon. member that the research community has been extraordinarily consulted in the setting up of these institutes. The interim governing council of the institutes has had subcommittees working on all matters from programs to peer review ethics, to knowledge management, to institute design, partnerships and commercialization.

Canadian Institutes Of Health Research Act  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member needs to understand the difference between health research and medical research. What is very clear is that medical research in the old biomedical model was not satisfying all our needs in understanding all the determinants of health. The Social Science Research Council was doing the work on poverty, violence and the environment.

Canadian Institutes Of Health Research Act  Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Oak Ridges. It seems like a long time ago, our first caucus in Collingwood, where indeed all members of the Liberals caucus were very, very worried about the state of medical research in this country. It was January 1998, and since that time we have come to a day where members of parliament like myself are almost on a daily basis receiving extraordinarily wonderful letters from members of the research community in our country.

Child Poverty  Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, November 24, marks National Child Poverty Day. I draw attention to the importance attached to this day. Canadian children are the future of the country and are our largest investment. This means we cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the early years that pave the way for the child's future development physically, emotionally and cognitively.

Diabetes  Mr. Speaker, between one and two million Canadians are suffering from the debilitating effects of diabetes, and the numbers are three times higher among aboriginal people. Each year, 60,000 new cases are diagnosed. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health tell the House what the government is doing to fight diabetes?

Governor General's Performing Arts Awards  Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, November 6, 1999, the esteemed Governor General's Performing Arts Awards took place here in the nation's capital. This annual event celebrates Canadian performers who have enriched our lives and recognizes these artists who have made tremendous contributions to the cultural life of Canadians.

Health  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health. In our 1999 budget we promised the creation of the new institutes of health research which was further promised in the Speech from the Throne. Can the Minister of Health please tell us when the dream of these poor Canadian researchers will actually become a reality?