Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to make a brief comment in support of this bill as well. I do believe that this will enable women and others trained in delivering babies to do this and facilitate some of the gaps in services in our communities -- close the gap, I should say. This will allow our people to go back to doing things that I am sure people have done for many years. I also come from a culture where it was the normal practice that grandmothers delivered babies and other family members who traditionally learned to do it, who are able to do it without any problem whatsoever. I think that this is a step in a positive direction. We are blazing trails in some ways because this is not done everywhere in Canada, but I do believe this is a step in the right direction.

I would just like to make a comment that given that this is something that we are introducing in a new way, we are introducing an old way of doing things in a new way, and there might be some gaps in training and support. So I think that it's really important that while we are passing this legislation allowing this practice to take place more formally that there are necessary resources and support provided for training and other medical attention that might be required in delivering babies by midwives and all of the regulations and standards that need to be in place.

So I think it's very important that the government and the department work very closely with those partners who will be providing this service and training other people to do it. In principle and in the spirit of this legislation, I support what this legislation is doing. I am glad to be part of this process. I just wanted to put on record a very short comment in support of this legislative action. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.