MISSION CANADA PROMOTES AWARENESS OF GENDER-BASED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001546 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAN, G/IWI (ANDREA BOTTNER AND SAUNDRA LINEBERRY),AND G/TIP (BARBARA FLECK) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KWMN KPAO PHUM CA SUBJECT: MISSION CANADA PROMOTES AWARENESS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE REF: A. STATE 104830 ¶B. OTTAWA 1361 ¶1. (U) Summary: Mission Canada marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women with a November 25 digital video conference (DVC) that included an exchange of best practices among leading American, Canadian, and Portuguese governmental, NGO, and law enforcement experts. Mission Canada had earlier also hosted an August 20 DVC focusing on domestic violence in aboriginal communities. Mission Canada marked the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence by placing an op-ed by the State Department's Office of International Women's Issues (G/IWI) Director Andrea Bottner in leading Canadian national newspapers, and by visiting a shelter for victims of domestic violence. The Canadian Prime Minister on the December 6 National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women issued a statement honoring memories of all women who died as a result of violence and to do all possible to end such violence. End Summary. ¶2. (U) In response to ref a, Embassy Ottawa and ConGen Halifax marked the November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women with a DVC on gender-based violence, featuring experts from G/IWI, the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Embassy Lisbon. The discussion shared best practices among experts in Canada, the U.S., and Portugal. Issues included the Violence Against Women Act and the effectiveness of culturally-based programs in prevention. Cecilia Van Egmond, Chairperson of the Canada's Interdepartmental Working Group on Family Violence and Manager of the Canadian Public Health Agency's Family Violence Prevention Unit, provided an overview of Canadian policy and preventive measures. Ruth Campbell, Chairperson of the Ontario provincial government's Victims of Crime Office, described Ontario's efforts to prevent and combat family violence, while an Ottawa police representative presented a law enforcement perspective. NGO representatives from human rights and faith-based organizations attended. Nova Scotia provincial governmental experts offered lessons learned from Halifax. ¶3. (U) A Mission Canada-sponsored complementary DVC on domestic violence in aboriginal communities (ref b) had already taken place on August 20, including participants in Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec City, Whitehorse, and Yellowknife, as well as in the First Nation and Inuit communities of Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet. The DVC featured Kelly Stoner, Director of the Native American Legal Resource Center and Clinical Programs at the Oklahoma City University School of Law. The event included a lively discussion on the sharing of best practices for combating and preventing domestic violence in aboriginal communities. ¶4. (U) In addition to DVCs, Mission Canada's public affairs sections raised awareness of violence against women through the national media. ConGen Montreal placed an op-ed by G/IWI Director Bottner in the December 9 issue of French-language newspaper "Le Devoir," and ConGen Vancouver placed the op-ed in the November 21 issue of the "Vancouver Sun." As part of the "16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence," On December 9, POLOFF and a visiting G/TIP official visited the Interval House in Ottawa, a shelter for victims of domestic QInterval House in Ottawa, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and trafficking in persons, meeting with both the shelter director and victims (septel). ¶5. (U) The Canadian government is partnering with the Native Women's Association of Canada on a five year "Sisters In Spirit" initiative (2005-2010) to improve the situation of aboriginal women and prevent violence in aboriginal communities, in particular the high rates of missing and murdered aboriginal women. On November 20, federal Minister of State for the Status of Women Helen Guergis signed the UN Development Fund for Women's (UNIFEM) "Say No to Violence" campaign in support of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence. On December 6, Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement on the "National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women," which Parliament established in 1991. Full text in para 6. ¶6. (U) Begin text Statement by PM Harper on Canada's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, 2008 OTTAWA 00001546 002 OF 002 December 6, 2008 December 6, 1989 was a tragic day in our history. In what came to be known as the Montreal Massacre, 14 bright, talented young women were shot and killed in the halls and classrooms of their school, l'Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal. The victims of this terrible crime were targeted solely because they were women. This tragedy sent shockwaves of grief and anger across Canada and beyond, and the outrage felt by so many fuelled a determination by Canadians to work together to end violence against women. With this tragedy etched on our hearts, December 6th is set aside each year as Canada's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women. It is a reminder that we must continue to work to end violence in all its forms. On this 19th commemoration of that painful day in 1989, I urge Canadians to honour the memories of all women who have died as a result of violence, and to do what they can to work to end violence in all its forms. End text Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada WILKINS