I thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Monday of this week I participated in the sobriety march with a number of people from the Tree of Peace to help open addiction awareness week. Across the north this week, countless people are meeting and talking and planning ways and means to make more and more people aware of the deadly effects of substance abuse and addictions to alcohol and drugs and the effect it has on us.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that each one of us here has in some way been effected by substance addiction, either personally, through our families, friends, peers and even total strangers we meet every day in our work.
Addictions effect everyone, every stratum of our society: the old, the young, the rich, the poor, men and women alike, even those not born. Mr. Speaker, we were shocked to learn yesterday the horrible statistics of fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effect.
Although this week is addiction awareness week, we must make every week awareness week and not only be aware of sobriety but do our best to participate in it. That, Mr. Speaker, is what I believe will be the test. The examples that we set will be part of the solution. I take this time, Mr. Speaker, to salute all the men and women who have dedicated themselves and their time to work as a deputy counsellors in the detox and treatment centres across the north. Your task is an enormous one, but you are making a difference, one step at a time.
---Applause