Janet Desormeaux, 43, of Sudbury, was killed on October 30. Janet will be remembered for her smile and her love for her family, a staple within her community and hockey arena.

Katherine Zollerano, 43, of Toronto, was killed on November 2. Katherine will be forever remembered and missed by many family members, friends and loved ones.

Danielle Strauss, 38, of Hamilton, was killed on November 10. Danielle enjoyed spending time with her neighbours on outings or playing bingo, and loved to laugh.

Jane Doe, eight years old, of Oshawa, was killed on November 12. The victim was like a daughter to many in her small community, and she had a bright future ahead of her.

Jane Doe, 41, of Kitchener, was killed on November 15. The victim will be deeply missed by her family, friends and community members. Two other victims, a 51-year-old woman and a seven-year-old girl, were also injured in this attack but are expected to survive.

Jane Doe of Milton was killed on November 22. The victim will be forever remembered and missed by her children, other family members, friends and community members.

Speaker, these are the victims of femicide in the last month alone. I rise today to honour and remember these women, as well as the many others who have been killed by those they knew well. Our thoughts, our prayers and our sorrow continue to be with their families and their friends.

Madam Speaker, every young woman, every girl, has the right to live in safety and with dignity, free from intimidation and violence. It is so important that the women in our communities who are affected by violence and exploitation receive the support they need, while offenders are held accountable through our justice system.

I am speaking today in support of this motion from the member from Oakville North–Burlington. Continuous education courses for our partners in the Ontario Family Court system will help to better inform those involved in the early warning signs of gender-based violence and will lead to preventive measures being put in place before it becomes too late.

This motion builds on our government’s many actions to address gender-based violence. Last year alone, we invested $11 million in violence prevention initiatives and nearly $200 million in services and supports for survivors of violence. The investment provides critical services, such as crisis lines, sexual assault centres and emergency shelters for women and their children. It also funds programs that connect women who have experienced violence with a wide range of supports; supports like safety planning, counselling, mental health services, supportive housing and culturally responsive healing programs.

I’d like to acknowledge the release of Canada’s first National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence earlier this month and our government’s endorsement of that plan. The plan is a historic milestone in fulfilling a lifelong plan and a lifelong standing commitment of all levels of government to work towards a Canada free of gender-based violence.

Ontario led the approach in forwarding the national action plan to the FPT forum of justice ministers with a written request that they commit to taking further action to improve justice system responses, including by holding perpetrators and offenders accountable.

In closing, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the professionals who are working on the front lines to support and comfort survivors of domestic and sexual violence and help them redirect their lives. It is difficult and often unsung work, but it is life-saving and life-changing.