Thank you, Mr. Speaker. FAS and FAE are preventable but not treatable. This means that when a child is born with FAS, we will have to deal with the consequences every day for the rest of that child's life. Experts in the field know that people with FAS do not process information the same way other people do. Many FAS children have impaired rates of learning, exhibit reduced attention spans, are easily distracted, and demonstrate poor social judgment.

Mr. Speaker, the policy of our government is for inclusive education. This allows for each child to be in a classroom with peers their own age. However, to allow a child with FAS to progress with his or her peers it is necessary for them to have learning programs specific to their needs.

Mr. Speaker, teachers in the Northwest Territories face a dilemma. In order for children with learning disabilities to progress with their classmates, individual programs have to be developed. However, in order for effective individual programs to be developed, it is necessary for an assessment to be performed on the child. Testing and assessment of disabilities is a specialized field and one that most teachers are not trained or qualified to provide. Presently, there is only one qualified individual in the North who can perform FAS assessments.

Mr. Speaker, when a teacher graduates from a recognized college or university, they have areas of expertise. There are teachers who specialize in special needs. These individuals are trained to develop programs for students with learning disabilities. The majority of classroom teachers are trained to teach children with average abilities. They do not have extensive training in the development of programs for students with special needs.

Mr. Speaker, I have the utmost respect for the teachers in our classrooms. Myself, I would not like to be placed in a classroom and be responsible for maintaining the interest of, disciplining and instructing 18 or so students with varying degrees of abilities. Each and every teacher is trying to do his or her best. Our system must supply more support for the classroom teacher in the area of special needs assessment and the development of programs for students identified with learning disabilities. We owe this to both the teacher and the child.

FAS is a territorial problem, Mr. Speaker. Consultants in B.C. are producing FAS training modules which may be used by other regions across the country. Rather than reinventing the wheel, the Departments of ECE and Health and Social Services should investigate these modules or develop modules of their own that could assist teachers in developing individual programs for children with FAS in the classroom. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause