Mr. Speaker, prenatal consumption of alcohol is the leading known cause of mental retardation in Canada.
The latest Environics research study found 87% support for requiring health warning labels on the containers of alcoholic beverages. However, only 42% knew that fetal alcohol syndrome, or FAS, was a group of physical and mental birth defects caused by consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.
There is no safe level of consumption and the most vulnerable period is during the early weeks when most women do not even know that they are pregnant. Since 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, those in their birthing years who are sexually active and not using protection should abstain from consuming alcohol to totally eliminate the risk.
As the health committee has called for a comprehensive prevention strategy, I urge Health Canada to step up and take action on fetal alcohol syndrome. After 12 years of talking, it is time to get the job done.