Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Krutko raises some very good issues that do need to be addressed. Just by way of information about the removal of children from their community, our statistics indicate that over 80 percent of the children who are placed in care are placed in their own communities. In order to enhance the availability of foster care placements in communities, as a part of that $1.2 million critical investment that we have identified in the budget, part of that is training foster parents to make them more confident in their ability to deal with special needs and children who may need to be in temporary care in a more adequate way

Certainly enhancing the number of child protection workers and social workers will also enhance our ability to get involved in families where there may be some indicators that would suggest that there are going to be problems in that family. It allows for the human resources for earlier intervention before things escalate to the point where children do have to be removed from the home. I agree with the Member that needs to be viewed as a last recourse.

Mr. Chairman, what we try to find is the balance between the intervention of removing children from their homes and the need to protect children. We have an obligation as a government to protect children, so we try to find that balance. Sometimes it is not always easy. I totally agree with you, that we need to address what the underlying causes are of the conditions in these families that might cause them to not be able to properly care for their children. You have identified probably one of the most prevalent causes, that is dependence on and abuse of alcohol.

A lot of our programs are very interconnected and try to address the needs of families. The $1.2 million critical investment also includes funding for a pilot project to have a plan of care committee in the community which could include extended family members, and elders as well, who certainly would have something significant to contribute. Advice and direction on the care of children who may be, for whatever reason, at risk. On this pilot project for a plan of care committee, the Dogrib region has expressed interest in piloting this project, and certainly that is very welcome news to us.

I think that the more responsible people who can get together and get involved at the community level, the better it is for the children in question. Sometimes it is difficult for social workers because there are constraints around the sharing of confidential information that they may have when they go through their screening process of people who may be interested in fostering. There are certain standards and criteria that are important to meet so that we can be assured of the safety and security of the children while they are in care.

Sometimes it is not possible to share that kind of information, so it may be frustrating to people who are interested in this. Again, that is just part and parcel of the safeguards we put in place for the care of children. We are recognizing this as an issue and are attempting to respond to it by enhancing the services available and the quality of care in individual communities.

I agree with the Member that it is very traumatic to remove children from their home, and certainly that trauma can be further realized when they have to be removed from their community as well. Then, not only do they not have the familiarity of the family circumstances, but also things like school, friends and those kinds of surroundings.

We are encouraging communities to become involved in this important issue, and are hoping that they will realize the need that we have for them to work with us and the front-line workers to ensure the best possible circumstances when there are unfortunate circumstances of risk for them. Thank you.