August 1, 2026 - 4:54pm - by John Luxford

Former physician and current Senator for Newfoundland and Labrador, the Honourable Senator Ravalia, first introduced this Bill into the Senate on October 19, 2022. It received its second reading on November 1, 2022. It moved to the House of Commons on June 1, 2023 where it stayed until Parliament was prorogued in March and all bills in process were cancelled.

Once Parliament reopened, Senator Ravalia re-introduced the Bill on September 23 and it went to second reading on the 25th. We need this Bill to be passed and moved to the House of Commons. Once there, we need to make sure that it gets passed.

Why?

A National Framework for FASD would:

• Educate health care and other professional on FASD prevention, diagnosis, and support
• Promote research and knowledge translation;
• Set national standards for FASD prevention, diagnosis, and support;
• Raise awareness of FASD and the risks of alcohol consumption in pregnancy; and
• Identify any other measures necessary to improve outcomes

One in Five people are living with FASD, a whole body disorder that has complex symptomologies and higher instances of severe health issues that require lifespan support.