Mr. Speaker, June 3rd marks the two-year anniversary of the release of the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and its demand for a world where First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families can raise their children in an environment that offers the same level of safety, security, and human rights as non-Indigenous families.
To mark this date, I will be tabling the first annual report addressing the government's actions to respond to the calls for justice.
Mr. Speaker, following the release of the final report by the national inquiry, the GNWT committed to review and analyze the 231 calls for justice and assess the current programs and services they offer. In the past 18 months, we have conducted a careful and thorough review of existing programs and services, and we are currently finalizing the details to carry out preliminary engagement with key stakeholders and partners in advance of the development of the GNWT's action plan to respond to the calls for justice.
While we work towards developing a comprehensive response to the calls for justice scheduled for release in the fall of 2021, the annual report I am tabling later today describes some of the steps already being taken by the GNWT to begin to address these actions that are called for in the calls for justice.
Some of these actions include: increased core funding to the Native Women's Association of the Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories Status of Women Council; the establishment of a new gender equity division in the GNWT to expand the work of the women's advisory unit to address gender equity, gender-based violence, family violence, and women's economic empowerment; the creation of a gender equity grant program to complement the women's initiatives grant program, to enhance gender equity across the Northwest Territories; and provide support to community-based projects that benefit people of all genders; and, the development and implementation of the Indigenous cultural awareness and sensitivity training program which is mandatory for all GNWT employees and is available to the public free of charge.
Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has also been collaborating with the Government of Canada, provinces and territories, by providing input into the development of a national action plan on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, as well as on a national action plan to address gender-based violence.
A number of announcements and events commemorating this day will taking place across Canada today, including the release of a national action plan. The level of interest and participation by provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous governments, and Indigenous organizations and communities shows that the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls will not be allowed to gather dust on a shelf. The GNWT commits to, and looks forward to, collaborating on the implementation of the national action plan.
Mr. Speaker, here in the Northwest Territories, we continue to have the second highest rates of violence against women in the country. This violence has, sadly, become normalized in our communities and it often leaves victims and their families to suffer in silence. This is a reality we are not proud of. It is one we have a moral obligation to work to change.
I had the privilege of attending the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and I heard stories of families and survivors from the Northwest Territories who experienced the tragedy of a missing or murdered love one.
At the hearings, many families and survivors not only bravely shared their truths about the loss of their loved ones but also presented recommendations on what they felt could be done so that others do not have to endure through the same pain they endured. It took immense courage to share their stories. We have a duty to honour that by doing all we can, individually and collectively, to create a society where all Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people feel safe, respected, and have equal access to a quality of life.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to acknowledge and remember these women and girls and their families. Survivors and families deserve not only our respect but also our help, and the Government of the Northwest Territories will continue to support them in their healing journey. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.