I firmly believe that the models our organization has developed can be applicable in any community across this country, particularly within aboriginal communities, be that first nations, Métis, or Inuit, because they are models designed for the community to put their input into and to tailor them the way they are. We also look at really integrating the cultural traditions and the cultural way of life back into our programming.
We're actually successful on both sides. One of the biggest successes we've had has actually been with the on-the-land projects, to the point where other government and territorial regional health boards have said that this is so successful--their communities are saying that they want more--that they're actually funding this to occur. We've gone in and we've presented it when we've piloted it in the communities. Now the communities are saying, “You know what? We see this.”
Our communities are strong. The 53 northern and remote Inuit communities are strong. They are survivors. Although we have very, very few resources, they do amazing work. I think one of the things we need to take into perspective is that in the north, at a lot of our shelters, the woman can only stay for a maximum of six days. How do you arrange housing, income support, mental health, addictions, all of that, in six days? You don't. And that's given that a woman has access to these shelters. We have some communities that are....
All of our communities and fly-on and fly-out. I have yet to come across any abused woman who has $5,000 or $6,000 at her disposal to grab a plane ticket to get to the nearest shelter or to go to the south to get away from abuse, where often she is abused again because of the vulnerability.
I think one other point that really does need to be recognized is that because of the lack of support...and it comes down to money and the lack of money. Often Inuit women are told by health and social services--and this is not finger pointing here--that they don't have the resources to fly them out. We have documented 16 cases so far of where a woman has been murdered by her spouse within 48 hours of returning home after trying to get away from the community. This is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable. We should not be subjugating any survivor of abuse, be it a woman or a child, to that.