Web document: http://www.parl.gc.ca/hansard/044_96-05-10/044SM1E.html

 2603

 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS
 [English]


 ME/FM AWARENESS DAY

 Mrs. Beryl Gaffney (Nepean, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, Sunday, May 12 is
 national ME/FM awareness day.

 Imagine overnight changing from a vital, healthy, active person to
 someone who lacks enough strength to get out of bed.
 I refer to Canadians suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome and its
 related illness, fibromyalgia, real and severe diseases which impair
 their victims and their ability to work.

 CFS can take a perfectly healthy person and create a totally
 dysfunctional individual. Young people are frequent victims; lost
 jobs, depression and sometimes suicide are often the effects.

 Yet Canada has no federal policy framework in place to ensure care and
 treatment for thousands of these individuals, nor does the federal
 government undertake to fund laboratory research and control.

 The medical professionals must take a more proactive role in
 diagnosis. The public must be better informed. Health Canada must beef
 up its research. There are 100,000 affected Canadians who need
 recognition of these diseases. Petitions bearing 15,000 signatures
 from all across Canada showing this illness has touched many will be
 presented in the House today.

 In Ottawa this weekend MESH Ottawa will hold a health fair, and in
 Regina members of the medical profession supportive of CFS sufferers
 were honoured on May 8.

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 Web document: http://www.parl.gc.ca/hansard/044_96-05-10/044RP1E.html

 2615

 ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

 GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO PETITIONS

 HEALTH CARE


 Mr. John Harvard (Winnipeg St. James, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to
 Standing Order 36 I am pleased to present a petition bearing the
 signatures of about 1,500 fellow Manitobans.

 The petitioners call on Parliament to establish national policies to
 control and contain the incidents of myalgic encephalomyelitis,
 fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivities in Canada and to
 ensure care, treatment, comfort and dignity for persons afflicted with
 these illnesses.


 Mr. Andy Scott (Fredericton-York-Sunbury, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I would
 like to present two petitions. The first petition is signed by 220 New
 Brunswickers. The second petition is signed by 455 Nova Scotians.

 The petitioners call on Parliament to establish national policies to
 control and contain the incidents of chronic fatigue syndrome, known
 as ME, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivities in Canada and
 to ensure care, treatment, comfort and dignity for persons afflicted
 with these illnesses.


 [Translation]

 Mr. Nick Discepola (Vaudreuil, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I would like to
 table a petition signed by 372 people from Quebec who are asking the
 government to set national policies to control and contain the
 incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, and to ensure
 care, treatment, comfort and dignity for those afflicted with these
 illnesses.


 [English]

 Ms. Bonnie Brown (Oakville-Milton, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it is my
 pleasure today to present a petition from British Columbia with 751
 names collected in order to ask the government to begin to act on
 chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and multiple chemical
 sensitivities, and to take care of these people, have treatment for
 them and to assure them dignity when they are afflicted with these
 illnesses.


 Mrs. Beryl Gaffney (Nepean, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have a petition with
 10,818 signatures from people in the province of Ontario. These people
 are also calling on Parliament to establish national policies to
 control and contain the incidents of myalgic encephalomyelitis,
 fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivities in Canada, and to
 ensure care, treatment, comfort and dignity for persons affected with
 these illnesses.


 Mr. Wayne Easter (Malpeque, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I too have the
 pleasure to present a petition which calls on Parliament to establish
 a national policy to control and contain the incidents of
 chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical
 sensitivities in Canada, and to ensure care, treatment, comfort and
 dignity for persons affected with these illnesses.

 The petition contains 211 names from the province of Prince Edward
 Island.


 Mr. John Loney (Edmonton North, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to
 Standing Order 36, I present a petition on behalf of 262 residents of
 Alberta.

 The petitioners call on Parliament to establish national policies to
 control and contain the incidents of myalgic encephalomyelitis,
 fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivities in Canada, and to
 ensure care, treatment, comfort and dignity for persons afflicted with
 these illnesses.


 Ms. Jean Augustine (Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have
 several petitions from Newfoundland asking Parliament to establish
 national policies to control and contain the incidents of chronic
 fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivities in Canada, and to
 ensure, care, treatment, comfort and dignity for persons afflicted
 with these illnesses.