Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to express my support for the recommendations contained in "The Justice House" Report of the Special Advisor on Gender Equality. The report appears to be comprehensive in identifying the various areas of gender bias in the judiciary system. At some future date, I hope and expect that this House will debate the report's recommendations in detail. I believe that adopting the report's recommendations will be an important step towards dismantling the barriers faced by women who come into contact with the courts and many support services involved in family and criminal law.
Mr. Chairman, I have noted that many of the report's recommendations centre around the need to improve counselling and services for victims of sexual violence. Better aid for victims is particularly necessary in a jurisdiction with the highest rate of report of sexual assaults in the country, as I noted in a Member's statement earlier this week. With over 90 per cent of sexual assaults in the N.W.T. committed by someone known to the victim, it can easily been seen how in the small communities across the territories, victims are dealing with the added pressure of living in close proximity to their abusers. Obviously the victim's anxiety is further increased because of the lack of resources and the inadequate or poorly trained staff in the judiciary and support systems as pointed out in this report.
Mr. Chairman, the report acknowledged and Mr. Nerysoo has referred to the cost implications of implementing some of the recommendations. As everyone knows, times are tight, but I think in this House we have to recognize the critical nature of the problem of violence against women and identify it as a priority issue. Physical and sexual abuse most profoundly affects a woman's emotional well being. In turn, entire families may be caught up in a cycle of abuse and powerlessness in the communities, and the communities are robbed of prospering and healthy individuals. The urgency of the issue of violence against women must be recognized by this government. To ignore it will adversely affect all of society.
Mr. Chairman, I am somewhat concerned about the Minister saying today in his opening statement that the Victim Impact Statement Program, the pilot project, needs to be assessed before it is expanded across the territories. In his opening statement he also referred to my comments, which I made at an earlier date, suggesting this program might have a better chance of success in the larger communities. Mr. Chairman, I want to make it clear that my comments were in no way meant to be construed as suggesting the program should be reduced. In fact, I suggested that the program should be expanded across the N.W.T. and that its performance should not be judged until it has also been tried in the community with the best available support mechanisms and the most opportunity to use the statements because of the number of sentencing hearings which take place. Mr. Chairman, that community is Yellowknife.
I believe that it is entirely possible that some of the problems presently encountered in the pilot project would be addressed if the statements were available for use in Yellowknife. I think that this may lead to better success of the program in smaller communities.
Mr. Chairman, I was wondering if I could ask the witness to respond to the suggestion that the Victim Impact Statement pilot project should be assessed before being expanded across the N.W.T.?