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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 203

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 31, 2023 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 203 - May/31/23
Ms. Sonia Sidhu (Brampton South, Lib.)
Madam Speaker, I am happy to rise today to speak in support of Bill C-284, an act to establish a national strategy for eye care, presented by my friend and colleague, the hon. member for Humber River—Black Creek. I know this is something the member has been working on for quite some time and I would like to recognize her extensive work on this issue. This piece of legislation would not only ensure better health outcomes for Canadians, but also recognize the month of February as Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month, bringing awareness to the leading cause of vision loss in people 50 years or older. More than eight million Canadians are presently living with one of the four common eye diseases and more than one in 10 older adults have some degree of vision loss, which places them at serious risk of losing their vision. Vision loss can be harmful to many elements of daily life, impacting the way a person works, participates in activities and interacts with the world around them. That is why it is our duty to take proactive measures to prevent and treat these diseases effectively. Routine vision care can help to reduce the risks of blindness and vision loss later in life and improve the outcomes associated with eye diseases like cataracts and glaucoma. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the issue of vision loss in Canada as eye surgeries were cancelled or delayed and wait times to see vision care providers also increased over the course of the pandemic. That is why a national strategy—
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