Mr. Speaker, in February of 1993, the Members of the Legislative Assembly passed a resolution adopting the principle of zero tolerance for family violence and called upon community governments, native organizations, unions and other organizations to adopt the principle of zero tolerance for family violence. I wish to report on the number of organizations which, to the best of my knowledge and information, have accepted the invitation from the Legislative Assembly and have passed resolutions or declarations of zero tolerance.
Within days of the Legislative Assembly passing its resolution, the town of Hay River passed a resolution supporting the Legislative Assembly's declaration of zero tolerance towards family violence and praising the action of the Legislative Assembly.
The city of Yellowknife in March, 1994, adopted the declaration of family violence, passed by the Legislative Assembly, and forwarded its resolution to the NWT Association of Municipalities for consideration at its 1994 annual general meeting. The city of Yellowknife also resolved that the NWT Association of Municipalities ensure that the necessary changes are made to make it mandatory that anyone who is convicted of family violence while holding public office be required to resign his or her seat.
The NWT Association of Municipalities in May, 1994, passed a resolution to the same effect as the city of Yellowknife resolution.
The Aklavik Band Council in July, 1994, passed a resolution adopting the declaration on family violence and resolving to ensure that the Gwich'in Tribal Council by-laws are changed to deal with the resignation from public office of persons who engage in family violence.
The town of Fort Smith in October, 1994, adopted the principle of zero tolerance for family violence. In October, the Samba K'e Dene Band from Trout Lake adopted the declaration passed by the Legislative Assembly expressing that family violence has been going on for too long and should not be tolerated any longer.
In November, the hamlet of Aklavik adopted the declaration passed by the Legislative Assembly and the hamlet of Gjoa Haven unanimously passed a motion to support zero tolerance of abuse of family or spousal assault.
Mr. Speaker, in October, 1994, I wrote to all community governments, band councils, native organizations and the Federation of Labour asking them to make the same commitment that other organizations had made and adopt the principle of zero tolerance for family violence. As a result, my office is receiving reports from communities on a regular basis.
As the Members of the Legislative Assembly noted when they made their own declaration of zero tolerance, such pronouncements do not in themselves magically erase family violence and the destruction it causes, but it is an essential beginning. If family violence is to be dealt with, it requires that all of us in the north make this important statement of commitment or it will not happen. It is absolutely essential that this commitment be declared at the community level.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate those municipalities and organizations which have passed resolutions, and invite the Members of the Legislative Assembly to contact their constituents and urge their municipal councils, band councils and other organizations to adopt the principle of zero tolerance for family violence, if they have not already done so. Mahsi.
---Applause