Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise to make a statement about HOPE. HOPE is the acronym for Human Organ Procurement and Exchange. This program is administered by a committee with the Stanton Regional Health Board through an educational committee, which promotes the national organ and tissue donor awareness campaign.

This program is a voluntary donation program that allows people to say, "Yes, I want to donate certain or all organs for use for transplants by individuals in need." In most parts of Canada, they do so by indicating it on their health care card or driver's license.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories does not have a specific donor identification format like those found in other provinces and territories. Therefore, temporary donor cards were created. Unfortunately, there are a number of different donor cards being used and it gets quite confusing as to which one to sign. One kind is this kind that I have that I have signed and had witnessed by my wife. Once that is done, you must make sure you carry it at all times. Unfortunately, because people in the health care system may not know what to look for, they may not be able to find it when it may be appropriate.

Our jurisdiction needs to have a simple donor identification system put into place. We should be able to indicate on our driver's licence or on our health care card that we wish to be organ donors.

Mr. Speaker, as of December 31st last year, 26 residents of the Northwest Territories had benefited from transplants. Nearly 3,700 Canadians are waiting right now for organ transplants that could enhance or even save their lives. In the year 2000, 147 patients on transplant waiting lists died when no organ became available.

Mr. Speaker, Canada's present donation rate is 13.7 per million population, one of the lowest in the industrialized countries.

Mr. Speaker, living donation is increasing as one way to close the gap between the number of people on transplant waiting lists and the number of available organs, but cadaveric donation is still the most typical source for organ transplants. That requires that a person's heart be beating and still transporting oxygenated blood around the body even though the brain may be dead.

Mr. Speaker, even in other circumstances, people may make donations because things like corneas and bones and muscles -- Mr. Speaker, I see that I need to request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.