Honourable senators, thank you so much to the Canadian Senators Group for giving me this time. I greatly appreciate it.

Colleagues, earlier today, Senator Ravalia, Senator Moodie and I, in partnership with the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada, or IPPNWC, and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, or ICAN, hosted a parliamentarian seminar entitled “Nuclear Disarmament: A Public Health Imperative.” The event brought together parliamentarians and leading experts for a frank exchange on the devastating health and humanitarian consequences of nuclear war.

I stand here to thank Senators Ravalia and Moodie for collaborating on this seminar and bringing their professional expertise as physicians to this important discussion. They, as well as our other panellist physicians, understand that the threat of nuclear conflict and devastation transcends multiple dimensions: It is not solely an international defence issue but also a pressing public health, humanitarian and climate crisis.

The United States has recently allocated $1.7 trillion to nuclear weapons modernization, and with ongoing threats from Russia and China, the risks of intentional or accidental nuclear conflict are mounting. Earlier last week, Russia adopted a new nuclear weapons doctrine that significantly lowered the threshold for the actual use of nuclear weapons and launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile, or IRBM, into Ukrainian territory.

This morning, parliamentarians heard that even a limited nuclear war using less than 3% of the world’s nuclear arsenal would lead to cascading catastrophic effects on a global scale.

Key speakers include guests that we have recognized here today: Dr. John Guilfoyle, Dr. Ira Helfand, Dr. Nancy Covington, Lia Holla and Florian Eblenkamp, who has come from Geneva and is the representative of ICAN with us here today.

Of particular note, Aigerim Seitenova of Kazakhstan, a third-generation survivor of Soviet nuclear testing, shared poignant testimony on the intergenerational health impacts and morbidity of nuclear radiation exposure.

Colleagues, what could our parliamentary action look like? Over 40 senators have already signed on to the parliamentary pledge to commit to advancing nuclear disarmament. We can encourage the government to send an observer delegation to the third Meeting of States Parties, or MSP, to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, or TPNW, in March 2025.

Senators can choose to attend the third MSP and the parliamentary conference on the TPNW as independent delegates. We can participate in the second Youth-Parliament Nuclear Summit from February 12 to 14, 2025, in Ottawa.

Please, senators, let’s wake up to this crisis and work together. Thank you so much. Meegwetch.