Honourable senators, as an independent senator from Manitoba, I recognize that I live on Treaty 1 territory, the traditional territory of the Anishnabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene and the Métis Nation homeland. I recognize that the Parliament of Canada is located on the unceded territory of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe first nations.

Honourable senators, I rise today to remember Indigenous veterans of the Second World War, as well as my grandfather Franklin McPhedran, who served in World War I, my father, John Alexander McPhedran, who served in World War II and all the women in my family who held the home base through years and years of absence, anxiety and financial stress.

I also want to take this opportunity to emphasize the importance of continuing the work of developing and implementing a national action plan in response to the final report and Calls to Action of the National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. It has been 19 months since the inquiry concluded and the 1,200-page report and 231 Calls for Justice were released.

While COVID-19 will inevitably cause delays, the need for systemic protections is greater than ever.

Violence against women in Canada remains pervasive. According to Statistics Canada, intimate partner violence accounts for one in every four violent crimes reported to police, and 80% of the victims are women. Further, Indigenous women are three times more likely to experience violence by an intimate partner than their non-Indigenous counterparts. In a 2014 study, Statistics Canada found that 10% of Indigenous women reported being assaulted by a current or former spouse.

According to Statistics Canada, almost 4% of the country’s female population self-reported being a victim of sexual assault. The majority of these reports, 83%, go unreported to the police.

These numbers reflect the lived reality in Canada, with Indigenous women almost three times more likely to be victims of sexual assault than their non-Indigenous counterparts.

The promised action plan has been delayed due to the pandemic. However, the Government of Canada must understand the need for a concrete action plan, enhanced by the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Indigenous women and girls, especially those who come under the intersectionality of so many other forms of discrimination.

Domestic violence has become more prevalent since the beginning of COVID-19. We received early warnings from advocates about the increased risk resulting from isolation. Every study of the pandemic’s effect has shown a 20 to 30% increase. We cannot forget about the epidemic of violence. We look forward to a comprehensive and inclusive action plan. Thank you, meegwetch.