Thank you, Mr. Chair. This Legislative Assembly has had women with small children as Members, but I don't think that there has ever been a Member who has given birth while sitting as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. This is a proactive motion that would allow those who give birth or who adopt a child or are the partners, part of a family in which a child is born or adopted, to take a period of time off without financial penalty or without any other kind of penalty in recognition that they need to be present for their families during this formative part of the child's life.
While there is a range of time in different Legislative Assemblies around the world, four months is the amount that we felt represented a reasonable compromise between serving our constituents and maintaining our roles here on various standing committees and in the Assembly, yet being able to take time to care for our children. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.