Evidence of meeting #125 for Status of Women in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was shelter.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Really, my questions would be the same for you, Viviane. I would just return the same questions that my colleague just asked.
4:15 p.m.
President, Quebec Native Women Inc.
Victims do, indeed, leave their violent circumstances, only to return afterwards. Some are able to leave the situation for good, after taking legal steps, while others are unable to file a complaint out of fear.
I agree with what Ms. Nepinak said about the challenge of staying in contact with victims who return to remote communities. You can't put the victim's safety at risk by calling them at home, for instance. The victim has to be the one to set up a channel for communication. Similarly, I would say every shelter relies on the social worker in the community to provide that ongoing support.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Okay.
I guess my only other question is with regard to the fact that in most cases, it is a man who is being violent towards a woman, and then she needs to flee the situation in order to find a safe space. Is there any work being done with him to help make that a safe space that she can go back to, whether that's in the immediate time frame when she's separate from him or in the ongoing weeks and months ahead?
4:15 p.m.
President, Quebec Native Women Inc.
I believe that the need to work with men with violent behaviours is urgent. Places where that can be done have to be re-established or established.
Under the current system, if there are complaints and charges, the accused spent time in prison without their problem being treated. However, we in the First Nations have our own ways of reaching a solution, a healing process. It brings about a really radical change among those who go through it.
In the legal system, people go to prison and their problems with violence will never be dealt with. That’s the issue. As well as the legal measures, there should be ways to help people solve their problems, which are all about wielding their power over others. So that is a shortcoming of the legal system in Quebec.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Excellent. Thank you very much.
We're now going to move over to Eva Nassif.
You have five minutes, Eva.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
My thanks to our two witnesses for their presentations.
Let me start with you, Mrs. Michel. Thank you for travelling from Quebec.
Tell us about the women whom you turn away each year because of a lack of beds in your 13 shelters in Quebec.
Ms. Nepinak has told us that her organization receives 2,500 women per year and, as I understand it, she can only accept 250 and must turn away 1,200 per year. That is huge.
Tell us about what happens in Quebec, please.
4:20 p.m.
President, Quebec Native Women Inc.
I worked in a shelter where we wanted to establish a day centre as well, precisely to work on prevention and awareness. It is a regional centre. That means that it has only four rooms with two or three beds, depending on the types of families that can be accepted.
I can tell you that, for a regional shelter, four rooms are not a lot. A really remote shelter, such as in Schefferville, can accept four women and their children. Of course, women will not leave without their children.
As for the numbers, I can’t answer that, because I am not an inside worker at the moment. However, we are part of the shelter network.
We can send you the statistics on the shelters. We will be happy to do so.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
You must know whether there is a great shortage or whether the need in Quebec can be adequately met.
Are you aware of that? Even if you do not know the exact figures, can you give us an overview?
4:20 p.m.
President, Quebec Native Women Inc.
I can tell you that, no, it is not enough. Just now, we were talking about confidentiality. In a community, everyone knows everyone else.
In Schefferville for example, people may not want to go to the shelter, which is just next door. That is because they know the women who work there and everyone is going to know who is in the shelter. That can be a major obstacle.
So the women are going to want to go to another shelter, in Quebec City or Sept-Îles, depending on which is closer. They want to choose for themselves where they want to go.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
Do you have any data on the causes of this violence against women? Is it because of mental health problems, drug addiction, alcoholism?
4:20 p.m.
President, Quebec Native Women Inc.
If you have to say where that violence comes from, I think you have to address the history of colonialism. Our people used to live in harmony with, and respect, everything around them. Because of that history, those values have changed. Violence has therefore become more prevalent.
In terms of the value of relationships, they were once equal for us. At the moment, with colonization and the Indian Act, more power was given to men. A system of paternalism then imposed itself.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
I have another question for you.
In your organization, you say that you equip the workers in the 13 shelters. You provide training and programs for young people, and so on.
What methods do you use to help young people understand how to go about reducing violence against women? What kind of education do you provide to those young people?
4:20 p.m.
President, Quebec Native Women Inc.
We provide training for the workers. Each shelter then establishes its plan for the kids. It can be done through games or awareness workshops. However, I cannot give you a more detailed answer.
But I can tell you about the training we provide directly to the workers according to their needs.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
So your program exists only for the workers, not for the women who come to you with their children, for example.
4:20 p.m.
President, Quebec Native Women Inc.
Quebec Native Women does not provide those programs. They are provided by the shelters.
4:20 p.m.
President, Quebec Native Women Inc.
When I worked in the shelters, one worker led the youth activities, always about violence, of course. However, you have to be careful because you have to recognize that, when that worker leaves, the work still has to be done.
So we got a summer student job, but afterwards, for the rest of the year, we had no worker to work directly with the kids.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
Did you employ the same students each summer? Are you eligible for the student employment program?
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
You did a great job.
On behalf of the committee, I would really like to thank Josie Nepinak, from the Awo Taan Healing Lodge, and Viviane Michel, from Quebec Native Women Inc.
We're going to suspend for two minutes, and then we'll be returning with our next panel.