Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, previously in this House, I have raised the concern of family planning. This past summer in Pangnirtung, the Baffin leaders passed a motion to the effect that we would address the topic at our next meeting, later this year. This subject, by its very nature, is very sensitive and should be addressed with much care. My concern, Mr. Speaker, is that the government has no family planning or awareness programs. Again, this is left to the discretion of individual boards of health to implement. I do not think that this is acceptable.

In the Nunavut region as mentioned by the Baffin leaders, we have and are experiencing a baby boom. Most people are being born to younger mothers and this has increased pressure on the social envelope. The government should implement a territorial-wide family planning awareness campaign and provide extra resources to communities and boards of health to address this need. Mr. Speaker, it is a sensitive issue and a serious one. The GNWT should take the lead in this area and demonstrate by way of a plan of action that it takes the matter seriously. Our health care professionals have repeatedly mentioned the increased birth rates and what it means down the road. I will not get into statistics, like a birth rate of 23.4 per thousand. That is the highest in the western world, but it illustrates the depth of the concern. Mr. Speaker, later today, I will ask the Minister of Health questions on this matter.