Statement - The Government of Canada issues statement to urge everyone to "Come Together, Act Now" to end gender-based violence in Canada

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 25, 2024 /CNW/ - The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, supported by federal cabinet ministers* issued the following statement today to mark the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence and commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women: 

"The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence is a global campaign that unites people to speak out against violence and drive change, running from November 25 to December 10. This year's theme, Come Together, Act Now, calls on all Canadians—particularly men and boys—to challenge harmful norms and take meaningful action to prevent and address gender-based violence.

For victims, survivors, and their families, the impacts are profound and far-reaching, including physical, emotional, financial, and mental health challenges. This is a widespread human rights violation that affects millions, with more than 6.2 million women aged 15 and over in Canada having reported experiencing some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime.

Last year, 187 women were killed violently in Canada – that is one woman every two days. These are not just numbers; they tell a devasting story of lives lost too soon. These women were mothers, sisters, friends and colleagues who never got the opportunity to realize their potential. This heartbreaking reality is a call to action. We must commit to building better systems that protect women and ensure their safety. Together, we need to challenge and disrupt harmful gender norms and invest in long-term solutions to end gender-based violence – and no individual person or institution can do that.

The path forward lies in collective commitment. Everyone has a vital role to play, including men and boys, in challenging and transforming harmful social norms, attitudes, and behaviors that perpetuate violence. Together, we can create the systemic change needed to build a safer, more equitable future for all.

Federal departments and agencies continue to come together and act now to end gender-based violence and support victims and survivors through:

• Leading the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments. Women and Gender Equality Canada will publish the first annual national progress report later this fall to demonstrate the impacts of the investments made under the National Action Plan. We are also continuing the work as part of the Federal Gender-based Violence Strategy to change social norms to address and prevent gender-based violence in Canada.
• Advancing the Federal Pathway, the federal response to the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. This year, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada provided $1.3 million to fund a Red Dress Alert Pilot in Manitoba, co-chaired the annual Indigenous-Federal-Provincial-Territorial Roundtable on the MMIWG2S+ crisis, and launched funding of $2.5 million per year from 2024–2027 for national, regional, and community-level projects that promote healing for Indigenous families and survivors.
• Advancing participation in leadership and decision making and supporting safe and inclusive spaces for women in politics and public life, including by countering disinformation and online violence targeting women in leadership positions.
• Investing up to $21 million per year until 2026, through the Public Health Agency of Canada, and more than $14 million ongoing to support projects that promote safe relationships, prevent youth dating violence, family violence and child maltreatment, and equip health professionals and service providers to recognize and respond safely to gender-based violence.
• Releasing temporary resident permits (TRPs) for out of status foreign nationals who are victims of human trafficking. These TRPs allow people to work, study, and have health coverage. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada also provides options to victims of family violence to help them stay in Canada without being dependent on their abuser, such as a free TRP and faster permanent resident applications.
• Addressing family violence and supporting Indigenous women, children, 2SLGBTQI+ persons and families affected by family violence by working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to provide funding for emergency shelters, transition homes, second-stage housing, and violence prevention programming. This year, in collaboration with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) has committed funding for the construction and operations of 19 emergency shelters and 16 transitional homes across Canada. ISC also continues to support Indigenous-led violence prevention activities, as well as investing $31 million to support community safety and well-being initiatives through the Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative.
• Increasing access to justice by funding community-based projects to provide legal advice, representation and informational resources to survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence (IPV) and workplace sexual harassment, as well as funding to support victims of IPV involved in the family justice system. Justice Canada has also strengthened Canada's bail regime to better address intimate partner violence, and passed legislation to empower victims by improving the law on publication bans.
• Supporting those affected by sexual misconduct within the Defence community through the Department of National Defence's Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC) which includes a 24/7 counselling phone line, continued support, community grants, peer support and independent legal assistance. The SMSRC also provides guidance and support to leaders on addressing sexual misconduct.
• Strengthening Canada's response to human trafficking through the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, its renewal, and its ongoing commitment to address and prevent gender-based violence. In addition, we continue to advance work under the National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet, both domestically and internationally, to raise awareness of the highly gendered nature of the crime and protect children and youth online.
  • Former Bill C-21, which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023, brought forth some of the strongest gun control measures in a generation, including a suite of new harm reduction measures to help reduce risks associated with firearms in situations of intimate partner and gender-based violence. This includes new "Red Flag" laws, which provide another avenue to act if an individual poses a risk to themselves or others. Public Safety Canada is developing a Red Flag awareness program to ensure that victims and supporting organizations know how to access the new "Red Flag" laws.
  • Under the Canada Community Security Program, shelters serving those experiencing gender-based violence are eligible applicants. The program seeks to enhance the participation of women who have experienced intimate partner violence or family violence, and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, which are particularly at-risk of experiencing hate-motivated crime and gender-based violence.
• Updating the National Operations Manual Intimate Partner Violence policy, which now includes the addition of Clare's Law, coercive control, the violence link between abused/neglected animals and people, and the use of a trauma-informed victim-centred approach. The RCMP is also hosting a Gender-based speaker series for employees from November 2024 to March 2025, where speakers will be addressing the topics of healthy masculinities, the violence link, tech-facilitated gender-based violence, coercive control, and the sexual exploitation of men and boys.
• Providing a space for individuals impacted by Military Sexual Trauma to connect and heal together through a new, collaborative Peer Support Program offered by Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence. The program covers topics such as the impacts of trauma and moral injury, coping mechanisms, self-care, and much more. 

As Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and on behalf of my colleagues, I urge everyone to put into practice this year's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence theme: Come Together, Act Now. 

Learn to recognize the signs of gender-based violence, take the time to observe what is happening around you – at home, in your school, in your workplace and in your community – and don't hesitate to reach out for support for yourself or your loved ones. Ending gender-based violence is about promoting a healthier, more equitable society for everyone.''

*This statement is supported by the following Ministers:

• The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
• The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
• The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health
• The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
• The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
• The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services
• The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
• The Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
• The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence
• The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
• The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

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Contacts: Angie Rutera, Communications Assistant, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, [email protected]; Media Relations, Women and Gender Equality Canada, 819-420-6530, [email protected]