(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Premier, the Speaker, the Minister of Justice and the ordinary MLAs who are representing the Dene people, the Inuit and the other people. I greatly appreciate being here to give a presentation. When I was asked, I wanted to come here to give a presentation on behalf of the elders.
I first became involved with the National Advisory Council on Aging two years ago. I go to meetings three times a year to discuss topics. I'm sure you were given our papers. It covers just about everything and we're trying to have a better understanding. The population of the elders is increasing in Canada. We meet with people from coast to coast so the elders can be recognized. I am not really aware of all the details, but I have been a social worker and I have observed our children going to school. There are different kinds of councils and the Assembly, and I hear them through the radio. We will be achieving Nunavut.
What I want to say, back in 1980, the council started because they were concerned about the aging. They were encouraged by the Minister of Health to have such a council for the aging. One of the reasons they requested that, was that MACA was concerned about the elders in the whole country of Canada. It doesn't matter where you're from, you're bound to get older. Because our federal government was concerned that we were being left nowhere. You will get older. They decided to come up with that council and they also invite Inuit leaders, to see what they are doing today. They produce documents about what they are doing. I have some of the material that is in Inuktitut, English and French.
When I was asked to give a presentation here...We all hear about family violence, even to our spouses and children. We hear from different people. It's about time we voice our concerns on family violence and try to fully understand why we're doing that. This was not a very open subject to talk about a while back, but it's coming out in the open and everybody is starting to work harder at it. The three women who gave presentations before me, the presentations they mentioned are very true because they have felt it as well as we and our children.
In the north, we hear about family violence, whether its through the radio or news. We sometimes hear that it happens even to the elders by their grandchildren, that the elders...For Inuit, we have a tradition ourselves and the Dene have their own tradition, as do non-aboriginal people. Even though we all have different cultures, this is very painful for us to experience.
We try to teach our children. We know even if the person has a very high education...For example, if you have a dog team, sometimes one of the dogs bugs the other dogs and it is not very good for the whole team. It is always going to be like that in a society where there will be that person. It gets very stressful. One of the reasons might be a shortage of housing, even though we want our grandchildren to be with us. The grandparents want to look after their grandchildren because there are no jobs, or because of alcohol and drugs. Those are not the only reasons. A lot of it is gambling, playing cards or bingo. These things don't improve the home situations either. If we just sit back and try to wait for someone to do something, it will never happen. We have to sit down and start working hard and try to improve these situations.
Looking at it from the elders' side, they might be pushed around or assaulted, because they don't provide the food the family wants. Even if they want to go to the hospital, they are scared to go by themselves. This is very emotional. They are not only physically abused, but they are mentally abused, also. They want to be involved with their children. Myself, when I was asked to come here to give a presentation because of this problem, we have to deal with it this way. We cannot just forget about it and not solve it. It is not just us, there are other groups and organizations in the north.
I would like to mention something about once the elders are at a certain age, they get a pension. It is not just in the north, but also down south. There are so many frauds in the NWT and we have to tell our children that they have to trust their parents. Once you get older, we are all going to go through the same thing. One of the witnesses said that the victims are going through very difficult times, which is very true, because of a shortage of housing. Sometimes, if we go to the social workers, they are not qualified. Those are just examples.
Someone mentioned that the women don't understand. If you go to Iqaluit, there is the Royal Canadian Legion. One of the women asked if she could be involved. There are also winter tents built into the communities because there are no trees. It was designed according to the wishes of the women. I wish to thank the Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi. What you have said is very true. If we try to work together to have zero tolerance with family violence, this report that was produced by the Legislative Assembly asks about being a social worker or nurse and how that can be accomplished. The elders were consulted and they want full recognition because we have the wisdom to pass on to the younger generation. We can give advice to the younger generation.
The non-aboriginal people in Yellowknife also work hard in having opportunities to meet. There was also a meeting in the spring, trying to get more information on how the elders used to live. I would like to thank Dusty Miller and Mr. Braden.
The woman in the middle mentioned a presentation on the disabled. I appreciate the comments she made, even though this was a very closed subject before. Now, we hear it through media, TV and radio. I cannot run because I have a certain disability. I have been like this since I was 13 years old. At the time, I wasn't even answered when I asked about this.
I would just like to say to the Members now, that many people have to go to court and it is not very pleasant. It is not just me who knows about this. You, as leaders, have to put things in the best interest of the people that you serve.
You are here to make policies and laws. I would like to thank the three women who are here with me who are representing women and are working very hard on the subject of family abuse.
When we first got radio reception a long time ago, it was over thirty years ago, we heard on the radio then that a person beat his wife and sent her to the hospital. The elders were sitting around and talking about it. What was he thinking? That man came out of a woman and yet he is beating the woman he was living with. That was one of the questions that was raised. One of the hardest things is giving birth to a baby and it should be recognized it could be that painful if they are beaten. I would like to very much thank you for being invited to come here. We will not forget the people who have to go through family violence. Don't just give them something. Give them advice for what they should be doing. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to give a presentation.
---Applause