Mr. Speaker, later today I will table the 1992-93 annual report of the victims' assistance committee, as required by the Victims of Crimes Act. This committee administers the victims' assistance fund, which generates its revenue from surcharges on fines imposed for offences under federal and territorial statutes.
Last year, the committee recommended to me, and I approved, contributions totalling $120,000 to 55 territorial organizations, community agencies and individuals for victim related activities in training, direct service delivery and public information.
Highlights of the report include contributions to non-government organizations for sending staff or volunteers to national and territorial conferences and workshops dealing with child abuse, childhood sexual abuse, family violence, traditional healing and victim assistance. Other recipients were helped to start a child care advocacy program, provide self-defence training for women, or to publish a sexual assault legal handbook.
I find it encouraging to see the victims' assistance fund being used as one of the many links to developing community-based victims initiatives. I would like to thank the committee members, Miss Thelma Tees of Yellowknife, Julia Putulik of Chesterfield Inlet and Rebecca Williams of Arctic Bay, for their services to victims of crime in the north. Thank you.