Thank you, Chair.
I would like to thank the witnesses for being here today. My friend Damon, it's been a minute with COVID, but we work in the same community, so it's so nice to see you today. My first question is actually for you.
The Native Women's Association of Canada indicates that indigenous women living off reserve experience gender and racial discrimination by potential property owners. We know, certainly in the city of Winnipeg, that violence against indigenous women and girls has been a real crisis, and part of that, the violation of our safety, affects ability to find adequate housing.
Call to justice 4.7 of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls calls for the government “to support the establishment and long-term sustainable funding of Indigenous-led low-barrier shelters, safe spaces, transition homes, second-stage housing, and services for Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people”.
I was really happy to work with my colleague Adam Vaughan to secure funding, after many years, for a 24-7 safe space for women, girls, 2SLGBTQQIA people.
I was wondering if you can speak to the critical importance of low-barrier 24-7 safe spaces and housing as a life-saving measure, particularly for indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. Certainly we know that Thunderbird House in my riding.... I live right by Main Street. We see the decline in mental health and the lack of spaces for people who may not be ready to give up addictions, for example. Can you speak to the importance of that as a life-saving measure in our community?