Bob Bromley

Thanks to the Minister for those comments. The Minister’s department is now embarking on the consultations and fact-finding of the new addictions forum. This forum should examine not just individuals’ needs but families’ needs, as well, I assume.

Can the Minister tell me whether the terms of reference for the new addictions forum include an examination of how better to use the health and social services system as a whole to make contact with those in need of treatment and programming in the area of addictions?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to recognize my constituents from Weledeh, Dr. Ewan Affleck, Susan Chatwood, their daughter Anika working for us today, and welcome Andrew Chatwood, also visiting and with a history in the Legislature of Newfoundland, if I remember correctly.

Thank you for that. The last question I have is the act that’s been passed, does it strive to ensure, sort of, the local benefits that we’ve come to expect from credit unions where investors have the opportunity to invest locally and see their dollars bring the greatest benefit possible to the local and regional economies?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to confirm; am I to understand that we are repealing this act and we’re not planning to bring another sort of updated equivalent in?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Meetings with industry helped the committee establish confidence that proponents will apply their best expertise to development in the central Mackenzie Valley throughout the drilling process. However, the committee insists that environmental and technical challenges require made-in-the-north solutions, as presenters in Calgary also emphasized.

The central Mackenzie Valley is home to many species of wildlife. Land consumption and disturbance, habitat fragmentation, and noise pollution are areas of serious concern for Members as well as for the people of the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Please provide:

the most recent information on caribou populations for each NWT herd, including the status of management plans and the status of population surveys, both underway and planned;

information on the status of caribou harvests for each NWT herd, including the actual take of animals according the harvesting quotas for each herd and including the sex ratio of animals for each herd taken in relation to targets for harvesting;

information on who is measuring the harvests for each herd and how...

Again, I’m pointing out opportunities here and I just hope the Minister and his staff will take advantage of them.

The Minister of Health has announced that the community family resource centres will begin to be introduced as the local seat of early childhood development programming. Because healthy families are essential to healthy children and their development, will the Minister say how the development of this delivery model will facilitate the intake of parents into addictions treatment where needed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think there are many important questions being raised today, and I think we would all benefit from further discussion, certainly, on a new treatment centre versus programs being put in place and, of course, why a 30-day period of sobriety is required before treatment.

My statement today dealt with the impact of substance abuse on early childhood development. As I pointed out, community-based early childhood development programs, pre- and postnatal programs, parenting workshops, mother and tot programs also provide a contact point for parents who may need to seek help...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will talk today on the tragic consequences for young children and their lifelong health when we have inadequate addictions treatment and prevention programs.

The permanent harm of fetal alcohol disorders are the two common results of parental addiction. Drinking during pregnancy causes a variety of mental, physical and developmental disabilities in children. Mental and cognitive impairments include brain damage, leading to learning disabilities, poor school performance, poor impulse control, problems with memory, attention and judgment. Physical effects include...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks for the comments from the Minister. These leaseholders are a hardy bunch with a record of considerable work to maintain these access roads. Unfortunately, they lack the heavy duty equipment and volume of materials rarely needed but critical to replace, say, a culvert or deal with the consequences of major weather events.

Does the Minister think investing a few hours with a caterpillar or a few loads of gravel would go a long ways towards supporting our residents and preventing greater costs down the road?