Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to update the House on the implementation of the Protection Against Family Violence Act.

This important legislation will come into force on April 1st. It provides a new choice for people who are experiencing family violence. Family members can get an emergency protection order any time of the day or night in only a few hours. This gives people help right away without having to go to court. The emergency protection order is granted by a designated justice and if the abusive person breaches the order, the police can help.

A judge will review the order within three days to make sure it is appropriate. If the judge has questions about the order, he or she might ask the people involved to come to a hearing to tell their sides of the story. An emergency protection order can last up to 90 days and if the person still needs protection, they can hire a lawyer and go to court to ask for a protection order which lasts longer.

The department's first priority is to train RCMP officers and family violence counsellors at Alison McAteer House since they will be assisting people with applications. This training will take place March 7th and 8th. In April, the department's family violence coordinator will begin visiting communities to train key referral sources such as social workers, nurses and people who work for community organizations like shelters.

Advertising for this new choice will begin on April 1st, the day it becomes available. There will be newspaper, radio and TV ads, booklets info-cards and posters. As well, people who are trained as community helpers will have small signs on their desks to indicate that they can help people who are suffering from abuse. The signs will say "Let's Talk" and will have the same images as the posters and other printed materials.

This has been a collaborative process between Justice, Health and Social Services, the RCMP, local social workers and non-government organizations like the YWCA and the Native Women's Association. I'm looking forward to seeing the results of their hard work. I know that together, we can make our communities safer for people suffering from family violence in any of its forms. Thank you.

---Applause