Speaker, good morning. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, aiming to promote screening and prevention. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer, celebrate the progress made and support those affected by it.

This past spring, a US health task force recommended women get screened for breast cancer 10 years earlier than the current mammogram recommendations, starting at 40 years old. Shortly after, I was pleased to hear the Minister of Health say that Ontario is currently exploring a similar change regarding breast cancer screening.

As a registered nurse, I have seen and heard stories from countless women about how deadly breast cancer is and how early screening can save lives and reduce the toll of this disease.

I recently met with a breast cancer survivor and advocate, Ellyn Robinson, who introduced me to a photo-essay campaign that brings together the images and voices of numerous Ontarians affected by breast cancer called I Want You to Know. It can be accessed at densebreastscanada.com.

In my own life, two survivors—my adopted grandma, Shirley Bray, and my francophone friend and leader, Melinda Chartrand—have also emphasized to me how beneficial early screening can be, how important self-examinations are on the first of every month to feel for lumps or bumps for women of all ages, and how we need to show up for screening and book mammograms, even if the truth is something that may terrify us.

To all the women who advocate for breast cancer screening and prevention, to the survivors and advocates, you are not alone. We see you. Thank you for your work.

I rise today to celebrate the significant work being accomplished in Thunder Bay–Atikokan. Since being elected as MPP, I’ve been privileged to meet with a vast variety of constituents, community organizations and industry stakeholders. From forestry, bioeconomy and mining advancements to policing, housing, health and education services, we have come together to better understand the tremendous opportunities in the riding and work toward securing a better future for all. There is much to celebrate.

By example, on September 9 I was privileged to attend the 2023 Annual Recognition Awards of the Ontario Native Women’s Association’s 52nd Annual General Assembly and Leadership Conference in Thunder Bay. ONWA has observed yet another year of successes and growth—an organization that has been dedicated to the well-being, empowerment and recognition of Indigenous women and girls for over five decades. As we all know, Indigenous women are a tremendous source of strength and resilience and have helped shape and influence their communities as nurturers, caregivers, providers, teachers and leaders. I have been privileged to meet with the leadership at ONWA on several occasions now, and their dedication to generating solutions for protecting the integrity and security of Indigenous women and girls has inspired me.

For these reasons and more, I remain a very proud resident and representative of the Thunder Bay–Atikokan region.