Mr. Speaker, thanks to the leadership of Toronto City Councillor Kay Gardner and the Toronto Board of Health, the Drink Smart Canada campaign promoting the responsible use of alcohol has been endorsed by over 120 Canadian cities. Their concern about alcohol abuse, particularly during pregnancy, was one of the main reasons for their supporting health warning labels on the containers of alcoholic beverages.
On October 16, the Minister of Health and the president of the Canadian Paediatric Society made known their position on foetal alcohol syndrome. They made it clear that the wisest course for women to take was to refrain from alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
We hope that the minister can now specify what initiatives its department intends to take to support this recommendation.