By Wendy Fraser, Lillooet News (October 23rd, 2013) (Accessed October 27th, 2013)
Commentary by Shauna Makie
Criminal lawyer David Boulding was invited by the Lillooet Community Partners Resource Group (LCPRG) in Lillooet, B.C. to give a daylong seminar on the topic of FASD, followed by an evening panel discussion. Boulding described FASD as an education, social, police, medical, familial, community and national problem. His discussion emphasized that while dealing with someone with FASD, the issues are not to be considered as “non-compliant”, but as “non-competence”.
Boulding attended a Chamber of Commerce luncheon that was described as “not well-attended” and was acknowledged as such: “What’s wrong with this picture? This is the problem” stated Boulding. He indicated that FASD is one of the most perplexing issues in the legal system and ranges of FASD in prison populations can be from 30-80%. Boulding also highlighted that the issue of FASD is not isolated to minority populations, he was quoted stating “women who drink the most while pregnant have four years of university, are white, and earn 400 per cent above the poverty line”. The recognition of the diversity for those touched by FASD is important while discussing the matter. It is not an isolated population that receives diagnosis’, it is however often misdiagnosed for those in the upper classes as attention deficit rather than FASD. Boulding reminded listeners that it is the community that is needed to provide those with FASD an external brain to help fill the parts of their brain that is missing.
FASD Research Project 