Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, and Members of the House, I am pleased to appear before you today in my new role as Minister responsible for the Status of Women. I have had the opportunity to meet with the staff of the Women's Directorate and the Status of Women Council and support the initiatives that are presently under way.

The prevention of violence against women continues to be in the forefront of everyone's mind. On December 6 a vigil was held in Yellowknife in commemoration of the 14 women killed in Montreal. Men also held a service at the same time here in Yellowknife to show their commitment to ending violence against women. In many places across the country men wore white ribbons to symbolize support, and I noticed men in this Assembly and in Yellowknife who were also wearing the ribbons in support of ending violence against women.

As Minister responsible for the Women's Directorate, I am concerned about child sexual abuse in the Northwest Territories. To address this problem, an interagency committee works toward identifying viable treatment options and resources.

Mr. Speaker, investigation of the needs of victims of violence is ongoing and is being addressed by the Department of Justice, the Women's Directorate, Social Services and non-governmental groups such as Arctic Public Legal Education and Information Society, the YWCA and the Native Women's Association.

---Applause