Good afternoon, colleagues. Colleagues, before we commence our proceedings today, I wish to speak briefly about the difficult issue of childhood cancer. As we all know, children's cancer is not a rare disease. It has touched so many lives. In fact, 1,500 Canadian children will be diagnosed with cancer this year alone, and more than 10,000 kids are living with cancer in Canada today.
Although September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Canada, our House was not sitting, and I wish to take this opportunity now to spread awareness of this dreaded disease and its impacts on our lives and those of our constituents. Childhood cancer takes more lives than all other children’s illnesses combined. One in five children will not survive their cancer diagnosis. Despite these terrible statistics, only three per cent of cancer research funding in Canada is directed to childhood cancer research.
No one is safe from the ravages of this disease. One of my colleagues, the Honourable Chris Collins, Speaker of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, and his family have been directly impacted. Speaker Collins and his wife had their son Sean taken away from them far too soon. Speaker Collins recently brought to my attention an initiative called the "Maggie Project," in memory of a little girl named Maggie Jenkins. She was taken by the disease in 2014, just two weeks after being diagnosed. Her parents have donated lapel pins for every Member in this House in an effort to raise awareness of this dreaded disease. I would like to thank you for wearing the pin today, colleagues, and creating awareness and fundraising support for childhood cancer research efforts and vital programs and services that serve children with cancer across Canada.
On behalf of Speaker Collins and his family, and the Jenkins family, I thank you for your support and time today. My prayers and the prayers of this House go out to all Northerners and Canadians so
greatly impacted by this terrible disease. Masi, colleagues.
Item 2, Ministers' statements. Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.