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Speaking Notes for The Honourable Rona Ambrose, P.C., M.P. Minister of Public Works and Government Services and and Minister for Status of Women on the occasion of an announcement of funding to the Native Women's Association of Canada

WINNIPEG, FEBRUARY 25, 2011

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Good afternoon everyone.

I am pleased to be here today with the Native Women's Association of Canada to announce Government of Canada support for a new and exciting project that will address violence against Aboriginal women through outreach, education, and community engagement.

Projects like this one would be impossible without the leadership and dedication of community leaders and people who work on the frontlines of violence against women every day, which is why I would like to warmly welcome members of the RCMP's D Division,

  • Commander Bill Robinson
  • and Constable Monique Cooper
  • as well as Winnipeg Police Services Chief Keith McCaskill.

Ending violence against Aboriginal women and girls is a goal our government shares with organizations like the Native Women's Association of Canada.

As Minister for Status of Women, I am pleased to announce funding for the Association's comprehensive three-year project Evidence to Action II.

Through Evidence to Action II, the Native Women's Association of Canada will use their expertise and experience to address the obstacles that Aboriginal women, families and communities face when combating violence against women.

First and foremost, the Association will seek to prevent violence against Aboriginal women and girls.  And prevention begins with education.

By relying on partnerships with community organizations, police officers, justice officials and frontline social workers, the Association will empower girls, young women and communities with the awareness necessary to identify and avoid potentially violent situations and environments.

Sadly, not all cases of violence against women can be avoided. But responding to violence is critical to helping curtail it.

Working with these same key stakeholders, the Association will also provide the tools, resources and support that women and communities need to better respond to this serious issue.

By working with so many different partners and from so many different angles to prevent, raise awareness about and respond to violence against women, the Association's project will play a key role in ending violence against women in Canada.

Evidence to Action II is just one example of the projects our government is proud to support in addressing this issue

In October, I made an unprecedented announcement of $10 million to address the high number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women.  Seven concrete actions were announced, including:

  • A new National Police Support Centre for Missing Persons;
  • A new national "tip" web site for missing persons;
  • Amendments to the Criminal Code to streamline the process for warrant applications, including in missing person cases; and
  • A comprehensive list of best practices to help communities, law enforcement and justice partners in future work.

The announcement also included additional funds available on application to support:

  • New culturally appropriate victims services and Aboriginal groups seeking to help the families of missing and murdered Aboriginal women;
  • New awareness materials and new school- and community-based pilot projects targeted to young Aboriginal women; and
  • New community safety plans to be developed to enhance the safety of women living in Aboriginal communities.

Sue O'Sullivan, Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, praised this October announcement, saying, "What we need is more government action of this breadth and initiatives that address all aspects of the issue, from prevention and prosecution to victim support. These are the kinds of initiatives that have the most impact and that we can all support."

There has been a great response from Aboriginal groups and organizations to this additional funding, in fact some 20 projects are already underway, including:

  • The expansion of the Canadian Red Cross's project, "Walking the Prevention Circle";
  • The Campbell River Victim Services' initiative, which will look at reporting and responding to victimization; and
  • The new edition of the Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of BC's resource booklet, Trust Your Instincts.

In addition, a number of First Nations communities have received funding to further the dialogue on issues of violence in their communities.

In Canada, everyone has the right to live free from violence and abuse, and to feel safe in their homes and communities.

And, the actions we have taken to address the issues of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and violence against Aboriginal women and girls demonstrate our government's commitment to this principle.

This is why we are pleased to support initiatives, like Evidence to Action II, that deliver real results for Aboriginal women and girls and bring an end to violence against women.

Thank you.

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Date Modified:
2011-03-09