Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
My name is Kevin O’Shea. I am the executive director of the Public Legal Information Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and the manager of the Journey Project, which provides supports for survivors of gender-based violence in the legal system.
Since 2019, the Journey Project has operated a Justice Canada-funded initiative focused on workplace sexual harassment. This includes the provision of free legal advice to workers who have experienced sexual harassment in their workplace. To date, the Journey Project has supported over 740 survivors of gender-based violence, including over 100 who have experienced sexual harassment. We've also delivered training on workplace sexual harassment to over 200 employers and employees from a wide range of businesses.
Funding for this initiative ends in March 2024. Unfortunately, so far there has not been a commitment from the government to continue supporting this important work past this date. I urge the government to continue supporting the good work that is happening to address all forms of gender-based violence, and I respectfully ask this committee to prioritize the continuation of our funding in budget 2024 to prevent and address workplace sexual harassment.
Thank you very much for your time.