Mr. Speaker, maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is the leading known cause of mental retardation in Canada. Researchers also believe that 50% of the inmates in the jails of Canada suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome or other alcohol-related birth defects.
My question is for the Minister of Health. Could the minister advise the House if fetal alcohol syndrome is a priority of Health Canada, and if so, what initiatives are being contemplated to address the growing but preventable tragedy of fetal alcohol syndrome?