Thank you. I may be splitting part of that time. It depends if we can get some answers.
Some time ago, Health Canada collaborated with about 18 other organizations, including the CMA, etc., and one of the things it said in its first principle was that fetal alcohol syndrome was the leading known cause of mental retardation in Canada. That's a very ominous statement, and it's absolutely wrong. Fetal alcohol syndrome is not the cause of anything; it is the result. And way back then, and now, it appears that Health Canada still is not prepared to say the maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is the leading known cause of mental retardation in Canada.
I wanted to make that point because it leads to the same point: I've seen this all before. I think I saw this speech 10 years ago. I'm sorry. I'm disappointed. I haven't seen anything new here. I haven't seen any progress. But it says on page 6 of my report--I don't know where it is in the French--that the health portfolio has collaborated with provinces and territories in establishing the common message: no alcohol is safe during pregnancy.
Dr. Butler-Jones, there is enough medical evidence that the risk to the fetus from maternal alcohol consumption occurs from days 15 to 22, when human facial features are established. And in this statement it says no alcohol is safe during pregnancy. It begs the woman to determine, first of all, am I pregnant? If I'm pregnant, then I'm going to make a decision.
This attitude is fatally flawed, and I don't know why the heck Health Canada still cannot bring itself to understand that the message should be--and I want your comments on this--changed immediately to, "If pregnancy is possible, i.e. you are sexually active, not using protection, and are in your birthing years...." That's what the message should be: "You should not use alcohol if pregnancy is possible." Eliminate the risk.
Can Health Canada adopt that as a new saying and get the provinces and territories to adopt it? And can we take one step forward on this file that has taken no steps in the last decade?