Mr. Speaker, today is a very special day.
Every year for the past six years, December 6 has been a day to reflect on violence against women. Since the day when 14 young women were shot and killed at the École polytechnique in Montreal, Canadians and Quebecers have become less and less tolerant of all forms of violence, particularly violence against women. How
can one not be appalled by the fact that three out of ten women in Canada have been hit at least once by their spouses?
The Quebec government understands the need to act and it has chosen this day to table its policy on violence against women.
The federal government should follow in its footsteps and deal with the causes of violence, which are mostly psychological distress and despair linked to unemployment, indebtedness and poverty.