Mr. Speaker, this week marks National Elizabeth Fry Week in Canada. It is an occasion for all of us to recognize the work of the Elizabeth Fry Society.
On behalf of my colleagues in the New Democratic Party caucus I want to thank the staff and volunteers of those societies everywhere across Canada for helping to ensure that women are treated humanely in prison and are given the tools they need to get a solid footing in their communities.
This is also a week to take stock and assess the role of the government in this regard. The Auditor General's recent report shows that the government has a lot of work to do to meet its obligations. Men still have more access to rehabilitation programs. Women are still denied the help they need to rebuild their lives. As many have said, the government still treats women offenders as a correctional afterthought.
Today we call on the government to honour the work of the Elizabeth Fry Society by taking its responsibilities to women offenders seriously, keeping them in the community and out of prison when possible, and adequately preparing them to re-enter their communities.