Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to, first of all, acknowledge and thank Ms. Bisaro for bringing this bill into the House so we can have a good debate on it today. I would also like to make a special recognition and acknowledgement of Mr. Ryan Leef who brought this private member’s bill forward that is now being debated before the House of Commons. I think what gives strength and credit and the need for this bill is the previous career that Mr. Leef had, and that was in law enforcement, and all the work he did in dealing with such individuals and seeing the need to have some type of system in place and that we need to amend the Criminal Code to make those much needed amendments.

More importantly, this government is actually going through a Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan, which we are recognizing wellness courts, which is an opportunity to address specific individuals with mental health disorders or mental health delays that might help them with diversion or in the court system.

We already know the high cost associated with the court system, for one thing, with our incarcerations in the jail system as well. I think this would really reflect on the cost that we, as government, do put forward, not only that, but if we do a pan-territorial support with both Nunavut and Yukon, it might cut down the cost and see the need for resources we need in other areas, such as mental health counselling, and start putting our efforts towards prevention, promotion, education and awareness in other areas.

Mr. Speaker, I also agree that we do need one hearing here in the NWT. I think that would be beneficial to all our health professionals and our professionals in the judicial system, RCMP officers, lawyers, all those associated when we have somebody that may have FASD and they are going through the court system, all the expertise they can bring, experience that they have.

Although there are some challenges such as assessments and diagnosis, when you look and do research on this bill at hand, Alberta is the leading province and jurisdiction and making the biggest commitment and has done the most adult diagnostic and assessment clinics in all of Canada. With something like this coming forward, as a pan-territorial and even the NWT moving forward, we can build off of what Alberta is doing and start implementing those things in the Northwest Territories so we don’t have people slipping through the system, that we help people who need the help

sooner than later and it shows the need for resources in the Northwest Territories. Hopefully it will cut down on some of the high cost associated with people being incarcerated, cut down on the backlogs of people who need lawyers and those types of things.

Once again, I thank Ms. Bisaro for bringing this bill forward and I do believe that the 17th Legislative

Assembly needs to support this private member’s bill that is before the House of Commons. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.