Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we are all aware, mental and substance use disorders are among the most serious and key health issues facing our young people in the North. If these disorders persist, the constraints, distress, and disability they cause can last for decades.

Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that mental disorders, even relatively brief and milder ones, can derail and disable, seriously limiting or blocking potential. In my research, I have been able to find further information that with mental disorders among youth are high rates of enduring disability, including school failure, impaired or unstable employment, and poor family and social functioning, leading to spirals of dysfunction and disadvantage that are difficult to reverse.

Mr. Speaker, with this in mind, I would like to inform this House that there were three days of workshops in Fort Simpson and Fort Liard aimed to educate young people on relationships, sexual health, and making healthy life choices, all part of mental health and awareness.

As I was doing my constituency tour, I had the opportunity to witness facilitators from FOXY (Fostering Open Expression Among Youth) and SMASH (Strength, Masculinities and Sexual Health) present school-based workshops at Echo Dene School in Fort Liard and at Thomas Simpson Secondary School in Fort Simpson. These workshops were held from January 24 to 26. What I witnessed was young men and women being totally engaged.

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding this was the first time SMASH has come to the Deh Cho region since SMASH was launched in the summer of 2016. Mr. Speaker, SMASH was developed as the male counterpart to FOXY.

According to the Dehcho Drum Article:

The SMASH sessions are kind of based off the FOXY sessions. They do include conversations around sexual health, healthy relationships, that kind of thing, but they also have conversations and activities surrounding breaking down masculinity and maybe unfair expectations of men.

Mr. Speaker, the nice thing about this program, it gives young men and women the opportunity to have a frank discussion on topics they may not otherwise be comfortable having in class or among their peers. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to seek unanimous consent to finish my statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted