Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge, there isn't a policy in this government that states the words of Dr. Wheeler that Health is totally responsible for or that fetal alcohol syndrome is totally the responsibility of the Department of Health. I would agree with my colleague that this is an issue that goes across both departments.
Mr. Speaker, a woman may be having problems with alcohol and dealing with Social Services in getting assistance, et cetera. When that person becomes pregnant, Mr. Speaker, then she is not only affecting herself, she is affecting her fetus. That becomes a health problem because we are concerned about the healthy baby. The doctor may counsel that particular person on their diet, on the use of drugs, on the use of prescription drugs, on the use of alcohol and on a number of other issues that may affect the health of the mother and the baby.
Mr. Speaker, if the lady keeps drinking and it affects the baby, then it is a health issue for us and it, ultimately, becomes a social problem because we have somebody who is born into this world without the capabilities to function as well as he or she might have, had the mother led a healthy life and not drank during pregnancy.
I think it would be very difficult for me to agree with Dr. Wheeler, not that I like to disagree with doctors. But I would say that I cannot agree with him and I believe this crosses between both departments. It is a moral issue, a social issue and a health issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.