Mr. Speaker, November is Woman Abuse Prevention Month. One in four women in Canada report experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetime, and alarmingly, those numbers continue to rise. In my community of Milton East—Halton Hills South, Halton Women’s Place provides critical shelter, counselling and support for women experiencing domestic violence. Last weekend, I joined their annual Hope in Every Step walk, an event that raises funds and sends a clear message of solidarity and hope to every woman seeking safety and support.
It was deeply inspiring to see survivors, families, advocates, volunteers and many young men who came with their local sports teams, including the Burlington Cougars, Iroquois Ridge Football, the Milton Menace and the U15 Jump Basketball team, led by Milton’s own Raheem “the Dream” Chaudhry, who has been walking in this event since he was just seven years old. Their participation is a reminder that ending gender-based violence requires all of us to stand together, challenge harmful attitudes and foster a culture of respect, equality and safety.