Statement made on 29 May 2008 by Senator Marilyn Trenholme Counsell (retired)
Hon. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell:
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. On this day when we are focusing our attention, and I trust our hearts, on Aboriginal issues, I wish to ask a question in regard to Aboriginal health particularly, on maternal and infant health.
If one looks at the statistics, one would see that, in the case of infant mortality, the rates are as much as double in some of our Aboriginal communities compared to other places in Canada. This is a real tragedy.
I have gone through Budget 2008 carefully. The only new thing I see there for Aboriginal health is $43 million over two years for prevention-based models. That is very little compared to the hundreds of millions and even billions dedicated to other important things in Canada.
I have two specific questions at this point. In November 2005, a beautiful document called the Blueprint on Aboriginal Health: A 10-Year Transformative Plan was released. This blueprint is an historic and shared commitment by federal, provincial and territorial First Ministers and national Aboriginal leaders to undertake vigorous and practical action to close the gap in health disparities between Aboriginal people — including First Nations, Inuit and Metis — and Canadians as a whole within the 10-year time frame. The blueprint is a living document.
Is that document indeed alive and well, or has it hit the trash bin like some of the others things we know about? I trust and hope the leader will tell me it is indeed a living document.
With respect to fetal alcohol syndrome and its effects, we searched a number of sources in my office in preparation for today. On this important topic, the last thing I could find was dated 2005. There was a commitment at that point, beginning in 2002 and 2003, of an ongoing $1.7 million for current prevention efforts that would address the symptoms and effects of fetal alcohol syndrome.
First, is this blueprint, a document that was so beautifully written and highly praised from sea to sea to sea in this country, still a living document?
In addition, what has been happening since 2005 with respect to fetal alcohol syndrome and its effects?
Please click here to read the full text of the Senator’s question