Mr. Speaker, today, I want to acknowledge the important work of the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre. I have spoken before about how the clinic provides confidential, trans-inclusive and culturally sensitive clinical space. Recent survivors can access forensic exams, crisis support and options for reporting to police, but the clinic needs stable funding.
I also want to highlight one of the vital programs that the centre supports: the indigenous response network. It is made up of local first nations, friendship centres, indigenous sex workers and two-spirit folks. Indigenous people experience higher rates of gender-based violence, but they also experience higher rates of discrimination when accessing health care systems and the justice system. This network is so important in beginning the work of addressing the barriers that indigenous people face, beginning to address the trauma of gender-based violence and also the intergenerational trauma that so many indigenous people experience.
Also, today is Orange Shirt Day. I want to recognize the work of Eddy Charlie and Kristin Spray in Victoria and thank everyone across Canada wearing orange today to honour the survivors of residential schools.