I have spent my career in the social services, and this is exactly it.
As we said in our presentation, exploitation preys on vulnerability. All those things, like racism, histories of colonialism and all the marginalization, which heighten especially a young person's vulnerability also heighten their vulnerability to exploitation.
Again, we're not going to arrest our way out of vulnerability. It's really around addressing some of those more complex pieces.
One of our amazing colleagues here in Nova Scotia, Karen Bernard, who is the executive director of the Jane Paul Resource Centre for Mi'kmaw Women in Cape Breton, was in a meeting one time, and she said that colonialism is the perfect groomer, because there is no better way to tell you that you have no value.
For me, that has really echoed with the Nova Scotia Native Women's Association, with funding through WAGE, and we are serving on their advisory committee and working with them. They are currently conducting a provincial strategy and assessment on the situation for indigenous women. I think hearing their perspectives, along with what you have in your own missing and murdered indigenous women and girls report, is really significant. These things are very connected as well.
I feel very strongly that we need to keep in mind that what survivors are telling us will be the most effective tool. Also, does this committee have a lived experience advisory that is also going to be advising it? I would recommend that you do.