Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Antoine on November 15th regarding a baseline study on FAS/FAE. Mr. Antoine asked if I would reconsider the decision of the department so that a baseline study on fetal alcohol syndrome and its effects can be carried out.
Mr. Speaker, the national population health survey will provide a great deal of valuable information on issues such as fetal alcohol syndrome. It will help the department to get a better understanding of the health and social issues affecting our children. When the results of this survey are analyzed, I will review the situation to decide where further research is necessary. It may be that the population health survey will identify other areas which also need research attention. At that point, a decision will be made about where research money can be best spent. I will brief the Member of the results of the survey and outline the further research that will be done. This will occur, Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 1995.