Nunavut government stalled family violence strategy, Mad Mom says

Mad Mom here — and everyone knows you don’t tangle with a mad mother!

What am I upset about?

Well, it’s about our chicken legislators, who decided to stall the much-promised family violence strategy until after the next territorial election.

Wow, how brave! They are willing to sacrifice so many Nunavut women simply because they do not want to upset their male voters by talking about domestic violence!

On March 8, 2011, International Women’s Day, our Nunavut premier attended a ceremony and promised that, within a year, Nunavummiut would see a family violence strategy in place that acknowledged and took a stand on the high level of unacceptable gender-based violence that goes on in Nunavut.

Those in attendance clapped, and in the crowd there were women of all ages and races, including several clients from the women’s shelter and their children.

Organizations bought in to the consultations and believed they would see the strategy come out on time and be meaningful.

As they spoke and the consultant captured their pain, as well as their recommendations, people within the Department of Health and Social Services began getting cold feet, sought to water it down, and finally, to deep-six it, for as long as possible.

That fit in quite nicely with the MLAs, who were not at all looking forward to having to comment on something in the legislature that would likely send the fur flying back home among their male voters.

So where are we at now? Well ladies and your frightened children, don’t hold your breath.
The urge to once again go easy on northern men and not upset them, has triumphed over the ethical need to stop the violence many of them initiate.

Women and children, you have been made second class by uneasy, unprincipled politicians looking for another term, who are willing to turn their backs for now, on the suffering that results in Nunavut leading the whole country year after year, in domestic violence, child sexual abuse and sexual assault.

Burying a family violence strategy smacks of political opportunism at its worst and a total disregard for the safety of those Nunavummiut most affected.

What kind of leadership is that?

Mad Mom
Iqaluit

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