Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, it is a fact that we are -- the Northwest Territories is second only to Nunavut as far as being the territory or province with the highest rate of family violence in Canada. That is still very relevant in our entire territory. We also have a lot of communities that rely quite heavily on public housing across the territory. And our public housing still has a community residency policy where people need to live in a community for a designated period of time before they can even put their name on a waitlist to then wait for housing. And what this means is that somebody who is in another community potentially cannot put their name on another community's waitlist to flee family violence. I know that the Minister has said on the floor of this House before that they could go and talk to their local LHO and maybe check a box and be willing to have their name put on a waitlist in their own community. The problem with that is that we live in a very small north. We live in a small territory where we all know one another. And somebody might be expected then to disclose to a family member, an extended family member, or in an unsafe way that they're experiencing family violence, and that puts them in further harm. And so I think it's really important that we have safe places where women and children who are most predominantly impacted by family violence can go and be safe. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Caitlin Cleveland on Committee Motion 423-19(2): Committee Report 47-19(2): Homelessness Prevention: Supporting Pathways to Housing NWT Residents - Women's Housing Fund, Carried
In the Legislative Assembly on March 29th, 2023. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 423-19(2): Committee Report 47-19(2): Homelessness Prevention: Supporting Pathways to Housing NWT Residents - Women's Housing Fund, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
March 29th, 2023
Page 6046
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