Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to speak in favour of this motion. This is a cause I have supported and spoken out on numerous occasions in the past. Mr. Speaker, in 1994, the Legislative Assembly passed a motion which stated that this Legislature has adopted the principle of zero tolerance of violence against all people, and the goal of eliminating family violence by the year 2000.

It has been noted by several this week that it is now the year 2000 and unfortunately, we have not achieved the goal set out in that declaration made six years ago.

So, Mr. Speaker, again we must all speak out and rededicate ourselves and our efforts to raise awareness across the North of this terrible problem. Mr. Speaker, personally, I make the commitment to do whatever I can to bring an end to this tragic cycle of family violence.

Individual agencies and government, as has been noted, cannot solve this problem on their own. We must all work together and support organizations such as the Status of Women Council for the Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories Native Women's Association, who have done so much to raise awareness of violence against women and children.

As has been mentioned by the Minister and others today, Mr. Speaker, the statistics from 1999 paint a very disturbing picture. It is hard to imagine in our small population 436 spousal assaults by male partners being reported to the RCMP last year. Over 200 sexual assaults being reported to the police. This is an extremely alarming figure given our population, since statistics show that only ten percent of sexual assault crimes are ever reported.

Mr. Speaker, there were 95 reported cases of sexual abuse of children and youth under the age of 18. Although family violence is a concern across Canada, Mr. Speaker, statistics show that women in the Northwest Territories use shelters at a rate five times higher than the rest of the country. We know, Mr. Speaker, that over 50 percent of federal inmates have suffered from abuse or witnessed family violence as a child. So obviously, Mr. Speaker, family violence contributes to a tremendous loss of people's ability to be successful in our society.

The Legislative Assembly, with this motion, is taking an important step of renewing its commitment towards the elimination of family violence but we have to take more than this first initial step. Our government must now develop a concrete strategy for dealing with the problem. It has to be a very broad strategy. This goes back to an issue of self-esteem in large part, so we need to have a strategy that involves education, involves dealing with addictions, involves healing, but it goes beyond that. It involves economic initiatives and opportunities for all people in all communities to have the opportunity to develop themselves.

We must also evaluate how we spend our money currently. Check which programs work, build on those that are successful and change those that are not working. We also must find a way to increase funding as it is necessary to help train counsellors to improve rehabilitation programs and to add to the amount of shelter space that is currently available. Mr. Speaker, women and children in crisis need to know that a safe place will be available and that alternatives exist other than returning to their abusive partner.

Mr. Speaker, we know that children who are abused or grow up in violent homes are immediately at a disadvantage. They are more likely to suffer from emotional behavioural problems and are at a higher risk of ending up becoming abusers themselves. It is only by breaking this tragic cycle that we will allow our children to grow up in a peaceful society that allows them to reach their full potential.

Mr. Speaker, family violence is unacceptable. We must work hard to break the silence and never let it remain hidden. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause