Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women committee  As far as the rate of domestic violence in aboriginal communities is concerned, those figures are very hard to find. You said they were two times the rate of other Canadian communities, but I think that's a very conservative figure. In Nunavut, for example, isn't it nine times mo

Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women committee  Meegwetch. Thank you.

Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women committee  I would like to say that it is having a national strategy or a national action plan to prevent violence against aboriginal women and girls.

Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women committee  Definitely.

Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women committee  I think your question on evaluation is a very valid one. I've done a few evaluations but I've found, almost without exception, that the people whom one is never required to ask or consult are the people who receive the programs, which to me is glaring. It's very difficult to do

Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women committee  This forum that's happening next week is actually the first of its kind NACAFV has been involved with that is specifically geared towards men and boys. Usually, our efforts have been towards the front-line staff and the executive directors of the on-reserve women's shelters. I re

Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women committee  Thank you for that. Yes, I certainly do see a need for a national action plan, a national strategy, something that is proactive and that acknowledges the history. The previous question was about mistrust. It's not just a surface mistrust, it's deep-seated, it's historical. Thos

Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women committee  I would just like to point out that the membership of the National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence is mostly the on-reserve women's shelters, so we ourselves only offer programs from the funding for the annual general assembly. We don't run shelters. The shelters are ru

Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women committee  Thank you. Meegwetch. My name is Anita Olsen Harper. I'm Anishinabe from the Lac Seul First Nation in northwestern Ontario. Our opening statement on addressing the issues of front-line assistance and violence prevention proposes the following proactive thoughts. These are split