Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is quite right in pointing out that there are many circumstances that contribute to why a young person in the north feels hopeless and sees no other way than to end his or her life.
What I would like to focus on is a project that the government has been funding. In February 2011, the government announced $2.4 million over five years for the Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre project in Iqaluit, Nunavut, which will help address the needs identified by northerners to ensure good mental and physical health for aboriginal children and youth in their communities.
The project will provide direct support to a number of Nunavut communities by helping to promote positive mental health among children and youth. It will also provide community-based family health education and support, which I believe will go a long way toward addressing those many factors that contribute to suicide being at such a high rate in the north.