I can speak to that if you'd like, Mr. Martin.
We believe that lack of permanency for children in care is a public health issue. I co-authored an editorial about that in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. We have the stats to prove it, because we know that children who age out of the system end up homeless, end up on the streets, end up in the justice system. On every measure of determinants of health, they rank at or near the bottom.
We believe there are creative ways for the federal government to act in areas of its own jurisdiction. One of them would be to look at this as a public health issue and to put strategies in place to support finding homes for the children who are in care. It's not going to solve all the problems, but when the child then maybe still gets into trouble, as biological children do, that kid will have a family standing with them. If that child gets into drug and alcohol issues, that child will have a family advocating for them.
The biggest thing we can do for at least that population of people is find them permanent families, so that they will stand with them, advocate for them, and help them, the same way you help your biological children. Most of us know, as parents, our kids' needs do not end at age 16 or 18.
That's what we can do. That's what the federal government can do. It's not only a matter of EI. There are many broader strategies that this committee could recommend and look at, in federal supports in areas of your own jurisdiction that you could do. We have a list of recommendations. You're hearing some of them today. We've submitted a brief with others.