Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, constituents stopped me and gave me a compliment I never thought I would hear: “Nice heels”.
I am already seeing a number of strange looks, but, indeed, I rocked that pair of open-toed, sparkling, silver high heels as I walked through the mall. For the third year in a row, I participated in the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser to benefit our local women's shelter, Gillian's Place.
We do not have to look far to see the terrible impact of gender-based violence. In Niagara alone, over 8,000 calls were made to 911 in a year for domestic violence. If we look at our social media feeds, we see the impact of the #MeToo hashtag.
Gillian's Place has served as a beacon of light for victims and families. It provides counselling, accommodation, and other countless services, giving those affected by gender-based violence a safe place to regroup and plan their future.
This year, with over 300 participating, $110,000 was raised helping to support programming and operations. Strides have been made to stem the tide of gender-based violence and harassment. This walk reminds us to recommit ourselves to bring an end to these heinous acts.