Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement surrounds the question of children in care in public facilities. Mr. Speaker, many families have been torn apart because children have been taken away from their homes for all kinds of reasons and put into foster care and group homes. They then end up in young offenders' facilities, and eventually in public institutions, such as jails.
Mr. Speaker, this government must do more to realize that a family is a unit. At times, families have problems. We have to take more time, effort, and resources to assist families with their problems, especially families who find themselves on income support, who do not have the ability to assist in developing their families because of the lifestyle and conditions in which they live, mainly because of unemployment and a low economy.
Mr. Speaker, more has to be done with how this government deals with children. I have suggested looking at a youth advisory council in the Northwest Territories. We find many of our children today in institutions, in the streets, or in trouble with the law. Yet, Mr. Speaker, there seems to be no resources to help them out.
I think it is important for children who are living in foster care, group homes or young offenders' facilities to have the resources, help, and the ability to work out their differences with their families. As a government, we should have learned from our past experiences, especially with the hostels, where children were taken from their families for five to ten years. They had no connection with their parents and they lost their culture.
Mr. Speaker, this government has to do more to assist families when they need us. Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services questions on this matter. Thank you.