MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in the House of Assembly today to present a petition on behalf of people in Newfoundland and Labrador, and especially on behalf of women who are asking that government reduce the age for screening of breast cancer in Newfoundland and Labrador. They are asking the age be reduced from age fifty to age forty, which is a new benchmark being established by provinces all across Canada.

I will read the prayer of the petition which says:

WHEREAS breast cancer is the most common cancer among Newfoundland and Labrador women excluding non-melanoma skin cancer with approximately 370 women to be diagnosed with breast cancer in Newfoundland and Labrador this year; and

WHEREAS we have one of the highest mortality rates from breast cancer and breast cancer in young women tends to be more aggressive; and

WHEREAS the benchmarks for Newfoundland and Labrador’s organized breast screening program is age fifty; and

WHEREAS women aged forty to forty-nine are not eligible to participate in Newfoundland and Labrador’s organized breast screening program while women aged forty to forty-nine are eligible in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Northwest Territories and the Yukon; and

WHEREAS there is evidence that routine mammography screening of women in their forties can reduce mortality from breast cancer by at least 24 per cent but Newfoundland and Labrador still does not allow women in that age group to self refer into their breast screening program;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House of Assembly to allow women aged forty to forty-nine to be eligible for breast screening to begin at age forty and that all women be able to self refer through Newfoundland and Labrador’s screening programs.

Mr. Speaker, women throughout this Province cannot understand why the government is not prepared to implement this new benchmark and policy around breast screening for women in terms of early detection of breast cancer. Mr. Speaker, we know that more than 370 women in our Province again this year will be diagnosed with breast cancer. We know that more and more, younger women are being diagnosed with breast cancer. We are asking our government, we are asking the Province to bring us in line with the rest of the country. We want to allow women in this Province to be able to self refer for mammography testing at least at the age of forty and over, not fifty.

Mr. Speaker, the government can commit to do this and they can commit to do it now. We feel, as an Opposition, that this is a very important issue. We feel it is one that should be implemented in this Province. We feel there is clear evidence out there to support this. That is why all the other provinces in Canada are already doing it and others are reviewing and committing to do it. Just recently, the Province of Ontario has said they will reduce the benchmark for all women in their province and they will design a program of self referral.

Mr. Speaker, I hear from women all the time who were diagnosed at an earlier age, who were diagnosed before the age of fifty. There is clear evidence out there to support this.

I ask the government: Why drag this out? Why not make a commitment to the women of this Province and move forward with this program?