Mr. Speaker, people have to stay home because of the pandemic, but home is not a safe place for everyone. The pandemic is only making things worse for thousands of victims of conjugal and family violence.
Last week, I had the opportunity to welcome my colleague, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality, to my riding of Brome—Missisquoi to talk about this new reality. We met with many local stakeholders so we could hear from them, talk about everyday challenges and discuss how the government can do even more to support them.
I also want to acknowledge the presence of Cathie Sombret from the Horizon pour Elle shelter and her contribution to the discussion. Her organization makes an invaluable contribution to our region. The work that is being done by our shelters and halfway houses is now more essential than ever.
I want to thank all of the women's organizations in Brome—Missisquoi for their hard work.