Evidence of meeting #68 for Justice and Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was needs.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Conservative
Alberta Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Very briefly, as quickly as I can, I think in our first nation communities our population is evidence that we are increasing by a rate of 4% plus. Are we prepared for the future? That is a question that needs to be answered.
I think there is much more awareness happening. For example, we are well aware of the sixties scoop and the painful results of it. I don't think our people knew what FASD was at that time or even during the 1960s and 1970s. As we progress, some of us have been affected by FASD as a result of the sixties scoop. Awareness in the first nations communities is lacking. Not necessarily everybody goes to the bar, contrary to popular belief. There are people who drink elsewhere.
Alberta Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
Prevention programs have to be more prevalent on first nations communities. It has to be funded to address those issues.
Very quickly, just to touch on subsection 16(1) of the Criminal Code, I think we're here because FASD is not factored in to the application of 16(1) when you look at court disclosures, etc. That's why we have to have people affected—
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Since you're answering questions right now, Chief Alexis, I would like Ms. Ross to also answer in a moment. But perhaps I could just ask you because you just mentioned the percentage of aboriginal offenders in the prison population. I think you said it was approximately 25%. What percentage of aboriginal offenders in your opinion suffer from FASD?
Alberta Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
That is a very difficult opinion to even speak about because as you know, that's why we're here.
Conservative
Alberta Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
Some of our people are not clinically diagnosed with FASD.
Alberta Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
And right now, sir, if I may, roughly 50% of the present population are aboriginal.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Okay. And would you say the majority of those offenders—
Conservative
Alberta Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
That is again an opinion that has to come from expert practitioners, respectfully.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mike Wallace
You only have a few seconds left.
Do you want Ms. Ross to answer?
Facilitator, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Group of Ottawa
The figure that's often been used is 1% of the population had FASD in 2005. But now there is research coming from the States from midwestern cities of 2% to 5%, at least. People generally assume that the figure is much higher, but we need more funding to do stronger prevalence studies. Prevalence studies are under way, but each province handles prevention in its own way and some provinces have more strategies than others in reaching people.
In Ontario, we had an LCBO awareness campaign not to drink during pregnancy, but it was only for three weeks around September 9. And because a prevention campaign costs a lot of money, if there were more funding, it would be possible to put out more.
We think that people really haven't gotten the message, and there is confusion about how much drinking could be possible, because doctors don't give the message clearly that there should be no drinking during pregnancy or when you think you're pregnant. But that message is not clear, and some people are now getting confused and saying that it's fine to drink a small amount during pregnancy. We simply don't know.
Facilitator, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Group of Ottawa
So I would say that funding would definitely help. And since we know that more and more women are binge drinking but you often don't see the results in children until grade 1, you may not even see the results until high school because it's not clear. So we know it, and yet we haven't got the proof.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mike Wallace
Okay, thank you very much.
Thank you for those questions and answers.
The next questioner from the Liberal Party is Mr. Casey.