Thank you, Madam Chair.
Minister, indigenous women and girls are killed at a rate six times higher than non-indigenous. More than half of the cases involving non-indigenous women and girls between 2009 and 2021 resulted in charges of first-degree murder, but when the victim was indigenous, police laid or recommended that charge half as often. The less serious offences of secondary murder and manslaughter were more common.
In my community of Curve Lake, Cileana Taylor was a beautiful girl. She loved animals. In the words of her sister, “She will forever be missed and celebrated. Cileana is now another Indigenous woman who didn't make it home after her intimate partner violently assaulted her. Rest in Power my love.” That's her sister, Sage Castel.
When he was arrested for attacking Taylor, Jordan Morin was out on bail for a separate 2019 attack. When he was out on bail in the Cileana Taylor case, he was arrested in January 2021 for the alleged assault of another woman in November 2020. As a final sickening coda, Morin was sprung on bail again in February 2021, just three weeks before Taylor died. Over the years, he also did 10 months in the slammer for assaulting a good Samaritan, who suffered life-changing facial injuries.
Today in the House, your response to my colleague about diminishing crime in this country was “We delivered bail reform.” What would you like to say to Cileana Taylor's family about the bail reform that you've delivered?