Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon to Madam Premier, the Ministers and the honourable Members.

There has been very little research carried out in the area of violence against persons with disabilities. The NWT Council for Disabled Persons is hosting two conferences during the month of February, where we will address some of these issues for the first time. One conference will take place in Iqaluit, and one will take place in Fort Smith. We hope to gain some valuable insight about the extent of violence in the lives of northerners with disabilities, from these meetings.

Although we do not have statistical information about the extent of family violence on persons with disabilities, we have heard the personal testimony of many of our clients. For many people, violence is so much a part of their lives that they know no other way to live. Factors, such as alcohol and drug abuse, economic reliance on the abuser and lack of services, such as counselling, make it virtually impossible for a person with a disability to escape an abusive situation.

Tabled document "Building a Strategy for Dealing with Violence in the NWT" describes the nature of violence in the territories and outlines some of the elements for building a strategy. Some of these strategies must be adapted slightly to better suit the needs of northerners with disabilities, and there are some additional factors which contribute to family violence for persons with disabilities.

Nature Of Violence

The building a strategy document states that native people suffer all the symptoms of poverty, in addition to cultural dislocation. People with disabilities often suffer even more intensely from poverty because of low skill levels, discrimination by potential employers, limited number of jobs in the community and difficulty travelling to and from the work place, particularly in bad weather. People with disabilities often survive solely on a small allowance from an agency, such as Social Services. Thus, feelings of isolation, frustration and powerlessness are often even more acute for an individual with a disability.

The building a strategy document also states that people sometimes turn to alcohol and drugs as a way of covering up their sense of powerlessness. Disabled persons often feel even more powerless than the people around them. Thus, it can be even more tempting for a person with a disability to abuse alcohol or drugs.

In the past, people who became disabled, or children born with disabilities in the north were almost always sent to facilities in the south. However, as times change, more and more people with disabilities are staying in their communities, or even being repatriated from southern institutions. Therefore, many communities are now dealing with disability issues, such as accessibility, they have never had to address before. This can be a drain on the already limited resources of the community. It can also create a dependency and vulnerability to community members for the individuals with the disability. They become anxious to fit in with the rest of the community and reluctant to make waves.

One of the biggest barriers to eliminating family violence is denial. A code of silence is maintained to prevent violence from coming to light. It can be especially difficult for a person with a disability to admit that he or she is being abused. For example, there are often communication difficulties, such as there being no one present who can understand sign language. Individuals may have some type of speech impairment or be very limited in mobility. Many people must rely on the person who is abusing them to get around. If you are rarely away from your aggressor, the chances of you admitting the abuse to anyone are awfully slim.

In the past the criminal justice system has been very ineffective for persons with disabilities. There has been limited use of alternative forms of communications, such as Braille or sign language. The language used is often technical and details can be difficult for the victim to understand. Court houses and RCMP stations are often physically inaccessible.

Through programs such as Yellowknife Victims Services, there has been some movement in the north to become more sensitive to the needs of persons with disabilities. Although this is a very positive step, these programs are still very limited. Many RCMP officers, lawyers, judges and social workers could still benefit from disability awareness training.

Elements Of A Strategy

The building a strategy document offers a variety of suggestions for reducing family violence. Some of these can be adapted slightly to better suit the needs of northerners with disabilities.

The Government of the Northwest Territories and the people of the north have made eliminating substance abuse a priority. Drug and alcohol counsellors are already overworked in many communities. However, for a variety of reasons, few clients with disabilities are currently receiving treatment. Many treatment centres are not physically accessible, information is not available in alternative format. In addition, sometimes people with mental disabilities, as well as mental illness, are perceived as untreatable. We must try to make drug and alcohol counsellors...