moved for leave to introduce Bill C-451, An Act to establish a Children’s Health Commissioner of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce this private member's bill today. In 2007, I authored a report called “Reaching for the Top: A Report by the Advisor on Healthy Children and Youth”.

In that report, I recommended that Canada create a national office of child and youth health.

This private member's bill is a long culmination of that report.

It is now more urgent than ever to establish a commissioner. Canada is ranked at the bottom of the list for most children's health indicators.

Indigenous children and children with disabilities fare far worse than other Canadian kids. Poor health in childhood is proven to lead to poor health in adults. We need to take the health of children in this country seriously.

Earlier this year, I introduced the children's fitness tax credit, which I proposed as a start. However, we need an advocate. We need someone whose exclusive mission is the promotion of children, someone who can work with government to ensure that legislation improves the health of kids, someone who would work with think tanks, the private sector and parents to raise awareness about improving the outcomes for children.

A children's health commissioner of Canada, the one recommended in this bill, is exactly that person. I ask all members in this House to join me in supporting the creation of this important position, which would help improve the health of Canadian children.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Kellie Leitch

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