Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

[English]

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald: Honourable senators, I am pleased to join the discussion today on Bill S-273, Chignecto Isthmus Dykeland System act, tabled by our Maritime colleague Senator Quinn. I rise as the critic of this legislation.

For those less familiar with topographical terminology, an isthmus is a narrow strip of land separating two expansive bodies of water and connecting two larger landmasses. As Senator Cotter accurately pointed out in his speech, “isthmus” certainly qualifies as one of the most difficult words to pronounce in the English language, at least for those of us who speak English as our first language. It is no wonder Maritimers have always euphemistically referred to the general area as the Tantramar Marshes. It’s so much easier to pronounce.

There are four distinct and significant isthmus formations in Canada: the Isthmus of Avalon, connecting the Avalon Peninsula with the main portion of the island of Newfoundland; the Sechelt Isthmus, on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast; the Niagara Isthmus, separating Lakes Erie and Ontario; and, in this case, the Isthmus of Chignecto. The Chignecto Isthmus separates the Northumberland Strait in the Gulf of St. Lawrence from the Bay of Fundy to the southwest, and it connects the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

But this 13-mile-wide strip of land connecting Nova Scotia to the North American continent exists in unique circumstances. As the only land link between Nova Scotia and the mainland of Canada, it serves a vital role to industry and our economy, with over $35 billion in trade transiting the corridor annually, as well as 15,000 vehicles daily and millions of people annually.

All roads and rail service, fibre optic telecommunications and pipelines depend on this corridor. It should also be remembered that this highway access is almost as important to Newfoundland as it is to Nova Scotia. What makes the area of immediate structural concern, however, is that it sits on land only slightly above sea level, and that land, while very fertile, is also very flat. This vulnerability presents a particular risk that must be mitigated, especially with the Bay of Fundy subjecting the area to the highest and strongest tides in the world.

I’ve heard repeated references to climate change, but I remind honourable senators that the rising nature of the Atlantic Ocean has been around long before the term “climate change” was coined, and the practical necessity of diking this land and protecting this unique coastline has been evident for well over three centuries.

Senator Quinn provided this chamber with a useful overview of the history of the dike land systems established by the Acadians beginning in the late 17th century. They built a series of earthen dikes to protect agricultural lands from the ever-active tides of the Bay of Fundy. Many of these earthen dikes remain, although they are only a couple of feet high for the most part.

When the New England planters arrived to farm the vacated land beginning in 1759, they revived and expanded the existing agricultural dike lands over the ensuing decades, building bigger dikes, culminating in the building of the Wellington dike between 1817 and 1825, which protects over 3,000 acres of prime farmland and is over 50 feet high and 120 feet at the base.

In 1948, after persistent pressure from Maritimers who recognized that the dike lands required significant enhancements, Parliament passed the Maritime Marshland Rehabilitation Act, which obligated the federal government to pay 100% for the construction and reconstruction of dikes and dams in the area. Now, 75 years later, these are the same dikes that need to be replaced, upgraded or reinforced at an estimated cost of $650 million. I think all my Maritime colleagues would agree that we have been experiencing severe weather events in our region at an alarming frequency — certainly more frequently than I can remember in my lifetime. As you recall, this summer Nova Scotia experienced record-shattering rainfall during a 24-hour period in July with some areas receiving nearly 10 inches of rain. That’s 250 millimetres. This is rainfall of historic proportions.

Atlantic Canadians have also been experiencing increased threats from hurricanes in recent years. With ocean surface temperatures rising along the eastern seaboard, scientists have noted the Atlantic coast is becoming a breeding ground for tropical storms and hurricanes sweeping north. They are increasing in intensity and they are increasing in frequency, bringing with them heavy wind, rain, dangerous ocean swells and leaving a trail of destruction behind for Atlantic Canadians.

Colleagues, when you add the severity and frequency of these weather events to the reality of rising sea levels, it’s understandable that the governments of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and the residents have increased anxieties about the adequacy of the dike system at Chignecto.

What would happen if there was a failure of the dated infrastructure? What if, suddenly, that narrow piece of land — vital for trade, a utility corridor for this country and a lifeline for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland — became compromised and impassable? We can only imagine the result would be devastating for our national economy, our industries as well as the people and businesses of Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.

Since the federal government has the responsibility for interprovincial trade, the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia governments believe that Ottawa should take on 100% of the cost. But the federal government is only offering to cover 50% through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. This is not only unfair, it is unjust and it is unequal. What Senator Quinn has proposed with this bill is to declare the dike land systems at Chignecto to be for the general advantage of Canada, a policy principle that has its foundation in our Constitution and which allows for the federal government to assume jurisdiction over works which it deems to be in the national interest.

Senator Quinn rightly points out that the Fathers of Confederation provided Parliament with a declaratory power to determine works that are in the national interest, transferring jurisdiction for those works to the federal level. And what Senator Quinn is proposing is not unprecedented.

For years, the American-Canadian border at Windsor and Detroit has served as Canada’s single business and commercial land corridor between our two countries, but the privately and American-owned Ambassador Bridge was the sole access for road traffic, and it could often be congested to the detriment of both commerce and the movement of people.

In 2012, the Harper government resolved to fix the problem with the decision to build the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will open in 2025. It wasn’t required to adopt any declaration to build the bridge as all international crossings are the responsibility of the federal government and the demand for a new bridge had been around for a long time. The $4-billion structure would be paid for through its tolls, a user-pay approach that I have always supported in principle where and when it makes sense.

Then in 2014, the Harper government enacted the New Bridge for the St. Lawrence Act, in which it declared the Champlain Bridge in Montreal and related works to be for the general advantage of Canada. The very busy original Champlain Bridge was found to be structurally unsound, but the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal said they couldn’t afford to pay for the new bridge. However, unlike the Gordie Howe International Bridge, this is unquestionably a provincial matter. Municipalities are creatures of the provinces, and municipal bridges are simply not the responsibility of the federal authority in this country. But the need was urgent, hence the decision of the Harper government to assist in the construction of the new Champlain Bridge.

However, the federal government also declared that its commitment came with the understanding that the bridge would be tolled and that the federal taxpayer would be reimbursed for the upfront costs of the new Champlain Bridge. I agree wholeheartedly with that economically responsible approach, which solves an immediate problem but also respects divisions of power under the Constitution.

After the election of the Trudeau government, they dropped the reasonable and financially responsible decision to toll the new bridge. Instead, the new Trudeau government gifted to Montreal an expensive and important piece of infrastructure that is unquestionably a municipal and provincial responsibility. The new bridge is to be paid for exclusively by the Canadian taxpayer with the considerable price tag of $4.2 billion.

Colleagues, I think the Champlain Bridge is of vital importance to our economy and that it was a sound initiative by the federal government to replace the aging original structure. However, I also believe the Trudeau government should have done the fair, equitable, honourable and financially responsible thing and kept the tolls on the bridge. Since they established this precedent, all regions, provinces and Canadians should be treated equally in matters of this nature.

For reference, compare the issue of management regarding the new Champlain Bridge to that applied towards the Confederation Bridge connecting Prince Edward Island to the mainland. I remember that project very well. The late Stewart McInnes was the then-minister of public works, and I was the executive assistant when the decision was made to build the Confederation Bridge. The government had a foundational obligation going back to 1873 to provide transportation infrastructure to Prince Edward Island, which traditionally meant a ferry service.

Why is it fair today for Prince Edward Islanders and those who visit the Island to continue to pay tolls while other bridges paid for by the federal government are exempt, especially when infrastructure like the Confederation Bridge is actually the responsibility of the federal authority? These are reasonable questions.

Canadians today are finally realizing that financial responsibility and the Trudeau government repel each other like the same poles of a magnet, and their latest scheme regarding selective tax exemptions for home heating illustrates that fair and equal treatment of Canadians appears to be something beyond their capacity.

I would be remiss if I did not note that the Nova Scotia capital has two bridges spanning Halifax Harbour, funded by the provincial and municipal governments, paid for and maintained by the tolls charged to those who use the bridges — no federal money for these bridges and no removal of our tolls. I don’t begrudge any municipality, any province or anyone in this country anything if it makes life a little better for all concerned, but it’s time we return to a government that didn’t treat Canadians differently in different parts of the country. Canadians deserve better than this.

Given that the $4.2-billion Champlain Bridge serves as a vital economic corridor with approximately $20 billion worth of goods crossing from the island of Montreal to the south shore of the St. Lawrence, I share the view that this is a justifiable federal investment, but the precedent has been set. In the interests of regional fairness, the same logic should be applied to vital infrastructure of national interest in the Maritimes. The Isthmus of Chignecto is a critical choke point with $35 billion of annual business, and the cost of the proposed solution is merely one seventh of the cost of the Champlain Bridge. The federal government should step up and do its job and stop prevaricating.

It’s not uncommon for Maritimers to be forgotten or treated like second-class citizens by governments in Ottawa. In fact, it was foreseen by our Fathers of Confederation. When John A. Macdonald and the Fathers of Confederation met for two weeks in Charlottetown, a full six days were spent solely on the creation of the Senate and its composition. They established a Senate that is formed on the basis of regional representation. Although we are appointed by province, our representation is regional, and we have to remind ourselves that one of our duties is to ensure regional fairness.

I have no doubt that the protection of this vital corridor is in the national interest, and I commend Senator Quinn for taking the initiative with this bill and supporting its advancement. So let’s get it to committee so we can ask the important questions. Let’s ask about the vulnerability of the dike system to weather events and the consequences of this land link being washed out.

Let’s ask how it would affect interprovincial trade and the industries that rely on the railway and highway or how international trade would be affected if the Port of Halifax could not import and export as usual. Let’s ask how Newfoundland would handle being cut off from its major supply line.

Senator Cormier indicated in his speech that he has some concerns about the federal use of the declaratory power of the federal government, and quoted our esteemed former colleague André Pratte as a source for his uncertainty. I don’t recall hearing these reservations being expressed when it was announced that the federal taxpayers would pay for the new Champlain Bridge, so perhaps his views have been modified in the meantime. However, I submit these reservations are esoteric concerns, and the real issue now is one of equal treatment for regions of this country, something which should be top of mind for every senator.

Colleagues, let’s send this bill as soon as possible to committee for further study. Canada has an isthmus to protect and preserve. Thank you.

Hon. Jim Quinn: Would the senator take a question?

An Hon. Senator: No.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted?

Hon. Marie-Françoise Mégie moved second reading of Bill S-280, An Act respecting a national framework on sickle cell disease.

She said: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to Bill S-280, An Act respecting a national framework on sickle cell disease.

This has already been discussed in Parliament. In 2011, in the other place, MP Kirsty Duncan tabled Bill C-221, meant to implement a comprehensive national strategy for sickle cell disease and thalassemic disorders.

Unfortunately, that bill never made it past first reading. Building on MP Duncan’s commitment, our colleague Senator Cordy introduced Bill S-211 in this chamber, designating June 19 as National Sickle Cell Awareness Day. That bill received Royal Assent in December 2017.

Thank you, Senator Cordy.

[English]

This disease has several names.

[Translation]

In French, it is known as “drépanocytose,” from the Greek word drepanon, meaning “sickle” or “crescent.” In English, the name used is “sickle cell disease” or “sickle cell anemia.” All these diverse terms are commonly used, but for the purposes of my speech, I will use the term “sickle cell disease.”

[English]

What exactly is this disease?

[Translation]

To help you understand it, allow me to make a brief foray into the world of medicine. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that my remarks don’t wear you down too much at this late hour.

This disease has been around since time immemorial. It was described for the first time in medical literature in 1910 by American doctor James Herrick, and its genetic basis was established in 1949 by James Neel.

[English]

It is: enetic, rare, chronic and multisystemic. It affects the quality of life, and it decreases life expectancy. It’s a death sentence.

[Translation]

It is a hereditary disease. It can’t be caught like a cold. It is passed down by the parents when the child inherits genes from both parents. Roughly 5% of the world’s population carries the gene, also called a trait. In some parts of the world, that percentage rises to 25% or more.

With respect to prevalence, the disease affects roughly 6,000 Canadians. Dr. Yves Giguère, director of Quebec’s newborn screening program, says it is a rare disease, occurring in one in every 2,000 births in Quebec.

Sickle cell disease is prevalent among persons with ancestors from Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Central and South America, some regions of India and the Mediterranean. According to a study published in 2023 by Jacob Pendergrast and his colleagues at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, “The estimated prevalence of patients with sickle cell disease in Ontario [between 2007 and] 2016/17 was 1 in 4200,” and affected patients’ need for hospital-based care is substantial.

This is a chronic and multisystemic disease: It is present at birth, it lasts a lifetime and it affects every organ in the body.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder that affects hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen. Abnormal hemoglobin results in abnormally shaped red blood cells. Red blood cells are usually disc-shaped and flexible, but in people with sickle cell disease they become crescent- or sickle-shaped, thus the name of the disease. These sickle-shaped red blood cells are rigid and can block small blood vessels, a condition known as vaso-occlusion. Normal red blood cells can live up to 120 days, but sickle cells live only for about 20 days, which can cause severe anemia. Every organ in the body can be affected because they all require adequate blood flow. They are not getting the oxygen they need, which is what causes the various symptoms and complications that I am going to tell you about.

The most common clinical symptoms of sickle cell disease are vaso-occlusive crises, which can cause medium-intensity to intolerable chest, bone and joint pain that often requires frequent hospitalization. The person affected can also get infections that can lead to sepsis or death, if they are not treated immediately. That is all I will say about that.

One of the most common complications of sickle cell disease is stroke. One in ten sickle cell disease patients under the age of 20 have a stroke. They also suffer from pulmonary hypertension, which means that they need daily oxygen for the rest of their lives. Another complication is kidney failure, which means the patient will need dialysis and so on.

In terms of reducing life expectancy, the treatment of sickle cell disease has evolved over the years, and life expectancy has improved. In the 1970s, life expectancy was estimated at five to 10 years. These days, many patients who receive appropriate treatment can live into their sixties, which is still markedly shorter than the general population.

This is just an estimate because we don’t have the evidence.

Ismaël, a 35-year-old man who expects to live to about 50, said, “I have already lived half my life, if nothing changes.”

[English]

Why talk about sickle cell disease today? It’s unknown, underdiagnosed, lacks research funding and causes premature death.

[Translation]

According to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Canada, this disease is the most common of all genetic diseases. Nonetheless, it remains relatively unknown to the public and even to health care professionals. Only the health care teams at specialized centres in Canada’s major cities have professionals who are familiar with the disease and can provide adequate care to patients. This lack of knowledge has many consequences, including the name of the disease. Some francophone families who only know the disease by the French name “drépanocytose” have had a hard time making themselves understood in English-speaking hospital environments.

Even when families use the correct terms, care providers do not always give them the attention they need, blaming everything on parental anxiety. Ignorance of the disease’s manifestations also leads to limited access to appropriate care.

As soon as their children develop a fever, parents are instructed to take them to hospital immediately, as they are at risk of developing life-threatening sepsis. However, it’s not easy to make this clear to the professionals who receive them in the emergency room. Excruciating chest, bone and joint pain cannot always be alleviated by regular painkillers, so the use of narcotics may be required. These adolescents are often labelled as “drug addicts” in the emergency room, and pain treatment is then delayed, with the risk of serious complications. For many of our suffering young patients, inadequate care and stigma is their lot in life.

Along with the physical symptoms, their mental wellness is considerably compromised. Repeated hospitalizations and difficulty holding down steady employment take a heavy toll on patients’ self-esteem. Parents are forced to stand by, powerless, as their child experiences angry outbursts and sadness that can morph into depression.

The emotional challenges lead patients like Mamadou to wonder why they are not normal and why they are always in bed, why their legs and arms hurt so much, why they spend 18 hours a day crying on and off, why they wake up every morning feeling like there is a cloud hanging over their heads and not knowing what is going to happen to them today or tomorrow.

Ismaël says, “It’s hard to plan long term because my life has an all-but-definite expiration date.”

Then, a parent speaking from his own experience testified about the devastating effects this disease can have on daily life and family well-being. He said the following:

The hospital has become our second home, which hinders our ability to plan our work schedule, our vacations, in short, to enjoy a certain quality of life.

Some families have to choose a different career path in order to live near centres where health care professionals know the disease.

I will now talk about the lack of research funding.

The Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health in Ottawa is studying the mental health of patients and their families. Applications for research grants from hemato-oncologists and other specialists in the field keep being turned down by funding agencies. Although sickle cell disease was the first genetic disorder to be identified, advances in treatment have been slow to follow. This is largely due to a lack of research funding.

Many specialists compare sickle cell disease and its associated challenges to other genetic disorders, particularly cystic fibrosis. These two disease have some similarities. They are both rare, chronic, multisystemic disorders that reduce life expectancy. However, there are major differences between the two when it comes to the funding allocated for research, a registry and therapeutic advances.

The Cystic Fibrosis Canada website shows that scientists receive many research grants, some valued at up to $100,000 a year. However, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Canada website shows that only two small grants are available: two individual grants in the amount of $20,000 per year for up to two years, and two additional grants in the amount of up to $5,000 each, also for two years.

When will a research chair be created for sickle cell disease in Canada?

This lack of knowledge about the disease also delayed the development of a diagnosis. The key to diagnosis is universal newborn screening involving a simple heel prick. The test is one of several screens administered to identify other metabolic and genetic diseases already part of the screening program.

Lillie Johnson, a nurse and founder of the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario, had to fight for universal newborn screening before it was introduced in her province in 2006. In November 2009, British Columbia followed suit, along with Nova Scotia in 2014. In November 2013, the screen was partially implemented in Quebec and later extended to include the entire province in 2016. The sheer determination of Wilson Sanon, president of Quebec’s sickle cell disease association, deserves credit for this accomplishment.

Later, several other provinces signed on. Yet, the disease easily meets the eligibility criteria for this diagnostic test. The test can detect the disease within 24 to 48 hours after birth. It is specific and sensitive to the medical condition targeted. Early screening allows care providers to intervene and create an effective treatment plan with the family. When this kind of response starts in the first few months of life, it helps reduce the frequency of hospitalization, prevents complications and improves the quality of life for these children and their families.

After this test was introduced, hematologist Dr. Yves Pastore and his team observed that the cohort of babies diagnosed with sickle cell disease had almost doubled, from 250 cases to 475, at Montreal’s Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine between 2013 and June 2023. Despite the fact that over 100 years have passed since sickle cell disease was first identified, we’re still very far behind when it comes to treatments. We now know that healthy living and certain preventive measures, such as avoiding exposure to extreme temperatures and staying hydrated, can help stave off complications.

In terms of medications, hydroxyurea, a drug first used in the treatment of cancer, has been administered for over 15 years to treat sickle cell disease. It has proven helpful by reducing the frequency and severity of acute pain episodes. Unfortunately, the drug isn’t suitable for every patient.

There are other treatment options, such as blood transfusions, apheresis, a complex technique, and bone marrow transplants, which have been available in Quebec since 1980 and are the only cure we know of. According to Dr. Yvette Bonny, a national pioneer in this particular medical intervention, this treatment can’t be offered to everyone because of the risk of complications. All of these interventions, combined with monitoring by a multidisciplinary team, help improve patients’ quality of life.

Three new drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. I will spare you their complicated names. The research that went into these drugs showed that two of them reduce the number of vaso-occlusive crises and therefore reduce pain. The third improves hemoglobin levels, which clears the anemia. These drugs have proven to be effective if used alone or in combination with hydroxyurea. That’s why it’s necessary to explore new paths of innovation for developing drugs adapted to a wider range of affected patients. This really rings true when we hear a grieving mother say, “we bury our children at a very young age. It is unfair and unjustifiable in 2023 in a country like ours.”

[English]

Here is why you should care about this framework. It will benefit health care professional awareness; the implementation of a research network; the creation of a national registry; full access to newborn screening; public awareness and needed financial support.

[Translation]

In 1971, President Richard Nixon promised research credits and patient care. The following year, in 1972, he signed a new act into law, the National Sickle Cell Anemia Control Act. In later years, a direct correlation was established between funds allocated by the National Institutes of Health and improvements in the quality and lifespan of patients living with sickle cell disease.

Canada must take action too.

Under this national framework, Bill S-280 will provide a six-point plan.

First, it will help mobilize medical regulatory bodies, nurses and other health care professions to encourage their members to learn more about sickle cell disease. It will also help enlist their participation in launching concrete initiatives that meet the training needs of health care providers to strengthen their skills. The development of clear guidelines will also help align practices to ensure a holistic, consistent and effective approach. In the words of one person we interviewed, this framework would fill “the gap in knowledge about the disease among some doctors, who often choose to simply treat symptoms rather than tackle the underlying causes.”

Second, the framework will provide for the creation of a national research network dedicated to advancing the understanding of sickle cell disease. This is a fundamental part of the framework. For example, the Sickle Cell Association of Canada is actively collaborating with the Canadian Hemoglobinopathy Association to promote research and facilitate data collection. This exemplary partnership demonstrates the importance of close collaboration between organizations, researchers and funders.

COVID-19 was a wonderful example of international collaboration that led to the creation of vaccines that are indispensable today. Some will say it was an emergency. However, it can happen again. There is a recent publication concerning gene therapy. It discusses molecular scissors known as CRISPR-Cas9, which will hopefully lead to a curative treatment. It partially restores normal blood formation and reduces, but does not completely eliminate, complications associated with the disease. It has been approved in the UK and is in the process of being approved by the FDA. Canada could also carve out an enviable place for itself in this rapidly developing field, while contributing to the well-being of its people.

Third, implementing this framework will help establish a national registry aimed at reducing existing disparities in the knowledge, diagnosis and management of sickle cell disease.

Dr. Smita Pakhalé, Chair in Equity and Patient Engagement in Vulnerable Populations, couldn’t agree more. In addition, Dr. Giguère says that one of the many advantages of a registry is that it would make it easier to contact people suffering from the disease, in the event of a cure being discovered.

Fourth, implementing this national framework will guarantee equal access to universal newborn screening and sickle cell disease diagnosis across Canada. This would ensure that appropriate care can be administered to all newborns immediately after birth and throughout their life.

Fifth, the framework will serve as a lever supporting national campaigns to increase awareness and understanding of sickle cell disease among the general public, and to better support the well-being of families and caregivers of people living with the disease. These public education efforts by community organizations will reduce the stigmatization of those suffering from the disease and create a supportive, inclusive environment for them and their loved ones.

Sixth, beyond exploring the feasibility of offering a tax credit to the families of people suffering from sickle cell disease, this framework will also look into the possibility of including these individuals in programs for people with disabilities.

This consideration is especially relevant, since many young adults stricken with the disease have a hard time keeping a job due to repeated hospitalizations and the debilitating chronic fatigue caused by the disease.

By integrating all of these aspects, we are seeking to develop a comprehensive framework that takes into account not only medical needs, but also the socio-economic challenges faced by individuals and their families.

Honourable senators, establishing a national framework for sickle cell disease responds to a UNESCO resolution adopted in 2007 and a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2008. These resolutions were adopted unanimously and recognized sickle cell disease as a public health issue.

In light of everything I’ve just said, it’s imperative to support the passage of this bill to fill the gaps that exist in terms of awareness, research and the national registry. In response to these challenges, we need to move Bill S-280 quickly through committee. I encourage you to head to YouTube and watch a 15-minute clip from an upcoming documentary called Silent Suffering — Sickle cell disease by Mamoudou Camara, which tells the story of a young man suffering from this disease. My office can send you the link, if you wish. Just as we did with cystic fibrosis, Canada can also show global leadership on all aspects of sickle cell disease.

I would like to thank a few people. I want to thank the specialists, Dr. Auray, Dr. Bonny, Dr. Pakhalé, Dr. Cénat, Dr. Giguère, Dr. Pastore and Dr. Soulières for their insightful comments. I also want to thank the presidents of the Canadian and Quebec sickle cell disease associations, Ms. Tinga and Mr. Sanon, for the work they do in that capacity and as parents, as well as for their enthusiasm and contagious perseverance in supporting my initiative when I decided to introduce Bill S-280. I want to thank Ms. Mouscardy, Mamoudou and Ismaël, who gave me a glimpse into their home life to help me understand what it is like to be a parent and a young person living with this disease.

It is your turn, honourable senators, to lend your support to Bill S-280 and send it to committee as quickly as possible. Thank you.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?