“Vaccines help us wipe out deadly diseases like polio. We are close to ending polio everywhere, but countries are cutting their funding. Canada must keep funding global vaccine programs to end the disease for good.”

“Mr. Speaker, this week marks World Immunization Week. Immunizations are the most effective tool against preventable diseases such as polio that have ended or changed the lives of millions of people. In Canada, it was only a few decades ago that we were finally able to eradicate polio. Since then, through the efforts of advocates and mechanisms like the global polio eradication initiative, we are on the brink of eradicating polio globally. Nations around the world are pulling back their funding, yet polio anywhere remains a threat to people everywhere. Canada has continued to be a global leader in immunization, but we still need investments like the GPEI to stop outbreaks through surveillance and to ensure polio eradication through vaccinations. This World Immunization Week, we can be proud that Canada’s continued support for immunizations and the global polio eradication initiative is helping ensure that future generations can live in a world free of polio.”