Hon. Pat Duncan: Honourable senators, I note that this item is at Day 14. Therefore, I move that further debate be adjourned until the next sitting of the Senate for the balance of my time.

(On motion of Senator Duncan, debate adjourned.)

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells:

That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to:

(a)denounce the illegitimacy of the Cuban regime and recognize the Cuban opposition and civil society as valid interlocutors; and

(b)call on the Cuban regime to ensure the right of the Cuban people to protest peacefully without fear of reprisal and repudiation.

Hon. Pat Duncan: Honourable senators, I rise today on behalf of Senator Ravalia and myself to draw the attention of our colleagues to the ninth month, September. The ninth day of the ninth month has been recognized for more than 20 years in the Yukon as a day to draw attention to fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effect, now termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD. Globally, the day is marked as International FASD Awareness Day.

Since 2020, the month of September has been officially recognized throughout Canada as FASD Awareness Month, and is a time to focus Canadians’ attention on what FASD is.

Honourable senators, FASD is the leading cause of neurodevelopmental disability in Canada and is estimated to affect over 1.4 million Canadians, which is 4% of the population. That is more than Canadians with autism, Down’s syndrome, Tourette’s syndrome and cerebral palsy combined.

Individuals with FASD experience significant adverse outcomes and secondary disabilities. Of the individuals with FASD, 90% also have mental health issues. These individuals often struggle in school and at work, and often end up in and out of correctional facilities.

Another significant number — nine — beyond the usual number of months in a pregnancy, is the economic impact of FASD: The estimated annual cost across sectors in Canada, including health, justice, social services and education, is $9.7 billion.

At the outset, I referenced our dear colleague Senator Ravalia. He, Senator Anderson, several colleagues throughout this chamber and I are collaborating to raise awareness about FASD with Canada FASD Research Network, now known as CanFASD.

Honourable senators, FASD is entirely preventable, and many provinces and the territories have a variety of programs to encourage safe and healthy alcohol-free pregnancies. CanFASD has recommended a national approach that includes the best practices of the provincial and territorial prevention programs and, most importantly, a coordinated national, evidence-based approach that supports the caregivers of those affected and standardizes the complicated diagnostic process.

We look forward to discussing these initiatives in the coming days, and we want to encourage honourable senators to meet with representatives of CanFASD and Rural FASD Support Network on their FASD Awareness Day on Parliament Hill on October 20. Today, on this last sitting day of the ninth month, we simply ask that our colleagues recognize the reality of FASD and its impact on Canada and Canadians.

Thank you, colleagues, for your time and attention. Mahsi’cho, gùnáłchîsh.

Hon. Pat Duncan: Honourable senators, I note that this item is at Day 14. I move that further debate be adjourned until the next sitting of the Senate.

(On motion of Senator Duncan, debate adjourned.)

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dean:

That the Senate of Canada:

(a)acknowledge that racism, in all its forms, was a cornerstone upon which the residential school system was created;

(b)acknowledge that racism, discrimination and abuse were rampant within the residential school system;

(c)acknowledge that the residential school system, created for the malevolent purpose of assimilation, has had profound and continuing negative impacts on Indigenous lives, cultures and languages; and

(d)apologize unreservedly for Canada’s role in the establishment of the residential school system, as well as its resulting adverse impacts, the effects of which are still seen and felt by countless Indigenous peoples and communities today.