Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, we marked Family Violence Awareness Week in the Northwest Territories, a time to pay attention to the problem of abuse in the Northwest Territories. Many of us participated in activities marking that event. Family violence is a serious problem in northern society.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the work of the front-line involved in ending violence, such as shelter workers, counsellors, police officers, social workers and the people offering victim services.

Though often hidden, one of the most disturbing forms of family violence, Mr. Speaker, is elder abuse. That form of violence has been a key concern of the NWT Seniors Society, who held their annual general meeting at the Baker Centre here in Yellowknife last week.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Seniors' Society can celebrate many accomplishments since their establishment in 1983. Over the years, the society has worked in partnership with other seniors' societies and with government and related organizations to improve the independence and quality of life for seniors in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, last year, they partnered with the victims' assistance committee to host workshops in Hay River and Yellowknife. The workshops concluded with a final report entitled "Taking Action on Elder Abuse."

Out of the Yellowknife meetings came a powerful list of goals. The first on that list was legislation to protect older adults. Mr. Speaker, the seniors society feels that our current legislation does not lend sufficient protection to elders in the Northwest Territories. In Alberta, they have several acts to increase the protection of elders. They have passed the Dependent Adults Act, the Nursing Homes Act, and they have the Protection Against Family Violence Act.

Mr. Speaker, our current legislation does not permit immediate protection from family violence like elder abuse. Police cannot obtain immediate protection orders over the phone. Victims are re-victimized by having to follow often overwhelming, cumbersome, time-consuming legal processes to obtain the protection they need immediately. Many are incapable of dealing with this volume of bureaucracy and process.

Mr. Speaker, many times I have asked the Minister to move quickly to enact family violence prevention legislation similar to that found in Alberta, PEI and most other Canadian jurisdictions. He keeps saying that they are studying the issue and makes no promise to move things along.

So again today, Mr. Speaker, I urge the Minister of Justice to reconsider his and his department's position and take immediate steps to implement an act protecting families against violence. I also urge the Minister to consider further specific legislation to protect those who have contributed so much and who will continue to be important teachers, caregivers and role models -- our elders. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause