Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, like my colleagues, rise today to speak in favour of this motion. It obviously is very important to heighten awareness in this area. We talked about breaking the silence. If we continue to sweep family violence under the rug, it will continue to fester and be a problem, as it has been for many years. It will continue on for many years, but I think it is important, as many of my colleagues have stated here today, that we pay this more than lip service and this becomes more than just empty, hollow words.
In 1993, we had a zero tolerance declaration and we watched violent crimes rise in the Northwest Territories, even though in the rest of Canada, Mr. Speaker, they are on the decline. So I think if we want to send the message to children that they seek out an adult or a peer and discuss family violence in their lives or if we want to say to mothers that they should seek help and leave abusive relationships, we have to do more, Mr. Speaker, than just make hollow promises and embark on rhetoric.
I think we have to take a good hard look at the programs this government delivers. What are we really saying if we are asking women to leave abusive relationships when we know that single mothers with children often live below the poverty line and often have a difficult time accessing resources, Mr. Speaker? What are we saying to children when we ask them to report family violence and then there are no resources for them and no support for children who talk about family violence?
Mr. Speaker, we have heard that there is no new money. I think that is something that everybody in this House can accept. However, I think it has to be about priority setting. It is fine and dandy to talk about economic development and what we are going to do in various different industries: oil and gas, mining, but we simply cannot forget about family violence. We are going to have to dedicate some of our dollars to solving this problem, Mr. Speaker. It should be of the highest priority. I do not think we can say on one hand we are dedicated to making the elimination of family violence a priority and yet on the other hand be closing treatment centres, as Mr. Krutko has said.
We have high unemployment or low paying jobs. We have a lack of shelters for people who are abused, Mr. Speaker. We simply are going to have to do more if we really are going to do anything to combat this problem.
So like my colleagues, I want to speak in favour of it. I think it is important to heighten awareness, but heightened awareness without resources and without dedication to this problem simply are not going to get the job done, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
-- Applause