Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of the National White Ribbon Campaign, a call for men to help end violence against women. The National White Ribbon Campaign was started a year ago by men to mark the anniversary of the deaths of 14 women killed by a gunman at L'Ecole Polytechnique on December 6, 1989. Three years later the Montreal massacre still horrifies and pains us but violent crimes committed against women continue every day, and are usually committed by family members or acquaintances.
The horrible violence of the Montreal massacre is linked to the violence which affects the lives of the thousands of women who are sexually assaulted and beaten every year. Mr. Speaker, the statistics are very disturbing. In Canada, a sexual assault is committed every 17 minutes and 90 per cent of the victims are women. Three women are killed every week in this country by a male spouse or boyfriend. Here in the N.W.T. we have particular reason to be alarmed. We have the highest rate of reported sexual assaults in the country.
Mr. Speaker, one in five Canadian men admits to behaving violently toward women. While not all men commit acts of violence against women, men have a collective responsibility to become a part of the solution to eradicate it. Organizers of the National White Ribbon Campaign hope that at least one million Canadian men this year will demonstrate their deep concern for violence perpetrated against women by participating in the campaign. Throughout this week I will be wearing a white ribbon as a statement of my opposition to violence against women and my commitment to neither commit or condone acts of violence. I urge other male Members of this House to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, it must be remembered however that opposition to all types of violence against women goes beyond the wearing of a ribbon this week. The role of men in challenging male violence has to be much more than a symbolic expression. On an individual basis and as legislators, it is essential that we work year round for changes to any political, social or economic structure which discriminates against women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause