Hon. Rosemary Moodie: Honourable senators, I rise in celebration of Canada’s children and National Child Day, taking place this Sunday, November 20.

National Child Day is a celebration of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted by the UN on November 20, 1989. By signing that convention, we committed here in Canada to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential through the respect of their rights.

Unfortunately, as we celebrate National Child Day, our pediatric health care system is in crisis. Rates of respiratory illness have reached crisis levels in children’s hospitals across the country, leading to cancelled surgeries, overburdened emergency rooms and ICUs being forced to operate above capacity. In my province of Ontario, ERs are seeing respiratory complaints at triple the seasonal average in kids aged 5 to 17. Simultaneously, we have a crisis on pharmacy shelves. Children’s pain and fever medications are in short supply, leaving many parents unable to manage their children’s illnesses at home.

Children are our future. If we hurt them or allow them to be hurt or fail to respond to their hurt, we hurt ourselves. At the National Child Day breakfast that I co-hosted on Tuesday with Senator Francis, I called on attendees to be authentic in our celebrations. Authentic celebration means a commitment to work for the changes our children need and to address the issues they face. Federal, provincial and territorial leaders must work together for the good of children across Canada, not only on this file but on all files. Our children should never be jurisdictional bargaining chips.

Colleagues, this crisis is just one in which it is clear we need a strategy for children in Canada. This crisis was not created overnight. Good leaders identify and address problems long before they become critical. The best gift we could give children for National Child Day is the assurance that we will work together to ensure that they have a brighter future.

As I conclude, I want to invite all colleagues and staff to a panel discussion on Monday afternoon, co-hosted by myself and Children’s Healthcare Canada, on this crisis, how it happened and where it goes from here. It will include pediatric health care leaders from throughout Canada and will be moderated by The Globe and Mail columnist André Picard. We do hope you can watch. Thank you, meegwetch.

Hon. Rosemary Moodie: Honourable senators, before I begin I would like to offer my condolences to the families of Senator Keating and Senator Forest-Niesing, as well as to our colleague Senator Seidman who lost her husband earlier this month.

Welcome to our eight new colleagues in this chamber. I offer you my congratulations and support as you begin your journey here in the Senate.

Today I rise to celebrate National Child Day, which took place on November 20. This year marks three decades since Canada made the commitment to actively ensure that all children in our land are treated with dignity and respect, and that all have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Although this was already a significant challenge, it is much worsened by the pandemic and Canada continues to fall short. I would like to thank all the parents, families, teachers, activists and organizations who have worked night and day to ensure the well-being of our children and youth. We appreciate all that you do.

I want to thank and acknowledge our children for being our sources of joy, pride and motivation. Thank you for wearing masks and washing your hands, for staying home when it was nice out and for giving your grandparents space to keep them safe.

Thank you to our young people. Many of you put your own health on the line so that essential businesses could operate during this pandemic. Many of you did not really get to fully enjoy the final years of high school, spending time with friends and loved ones. I hope you know that your sacrifice has made a difference.

As parliamentarians, we must remember that all issues we face are children’s issues. We must remember that it is our responsibility to serve our children and to create a better Canada for them. We can be proud of the progress that has been made in health care in particular, the advancements in telehealth for children and the vaccines that are now available across the country for children aged 5 to 11.

Yet there is more to be done. A recent report from Campaign 2000 found that, in 2019, nearly one in five children continue to live in poverty — one in five children, colleagues. We must do better.

As we begin the Forty-fourth Parliament, let’s place children in the centre of every policy so that they are not left out. And once more, thank you to all our kids for all that you do every day.

Meegwetch, thank you.

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