Hon. Michèle Audette: My question is for my esteemed colleague, Senator Moreau.

The government has not fulfilled its commitment to eliminate the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in prisons by 2025. It is now 2026.

Unfortunately, Indigenous women, who were the focus of Justice Arbour’s findings in 1996, remain the fastest-growing segment of the prison population.

Call for Justice 5.14 of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls calls for action to address the over-incarceration of Indigenous women and the practices within the justice system that contribute to it.

With that in mind, Senator Moreau, now that it is 2026, what is the government’s timeline for reducing the criminalization of victims of violence and promoting the reintegration of Indigenous women into their communities?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): The truth is, reducing the overrepresentation of a particular group, such as Indigenous women, in prison is not a problem that can be solved overnight.

The government is firmly committed to solving this problem. You referred to Justice Arbour’s report, which contained 14 recommendations.

Recommendation 4(a), which sought to create the position of Deputy Commissioner for Women, was fulfilled; Amy Jarrette currently holds that position.

Recommendation 7(a) sought to make the healing lodge available to Indigenous women. I don’t believe you were at the Legal Affairs Committee meeting yesterday, but the Minister of Justice indicated that work must be done upstream. That’s what the government is doing as part of the strategy by investing in housing, health and Indigenous businesses to prevent members of these communities from becoming involved in the justice and prison systems.

Senator Audette: I agree with you, but the rate is extremely high right now.

I’d like you to ask the government the following question: Is the Centre Gilles Jourdain in Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam on the list? You may not be able to answer that today, but I’m asking you to ask the minister that question. Is that centre one of the ones that could be subsidized? We are talking about people who have been incarcerated in federal and provincial prisons. I would like that centre to be on the list and to be considered an organization.

Senator Moreau: The government is well aware that infrastructure requires investments in many cases.

I answered a question from our colleague Senator Simons earlier regarding a specific case in Edmonton. I can ask about the case you have raised, but the government does have genuine intentions in this regard. The investments announced by the Minister of Public Safety just a few days ago for a centre in Ontario demonstrate the government’s willingness to move in that direction.