Thank you, Chair. Thank you to the witnesses for being here.
My first series of questions is for Indigenous Services.
Last summer, we had a pretty discouraging report. This was the annual report of the Office of the Correctional Investigator, and he flagged the area of mental health. Because we have so many indigenous women in the prison system, I think this fits completely with our study. He flagged a lack of appropriate capacity, resources, and infrastructure to manage serious mental health conditions.
He said:
The issue is especially problematic in women’s corrections as there is no dedicated, stand-alone treatment facility for women in federal corrections.
He flagged particularly the Pacific region, which is where I'm elected. He said:
...women in need of emergency health care...are...transferred to...a unit at the all-male regional psychiatric facility....managed in segregation-like conditions.... This practice systematically discriminates against women struggling with mental health problems; it is totally unacceptable and contrary to international human rights standards....
In the responsibility for Indigenous Services to ensure that there's a whole-of-government approach and make sure we're not siloing treatment of women and indigenous women, can you talk about the extent this is on the radar of your minister, and the ways, from indigenous women's perspective, you're identifying to improve that service delivery?