Status of Women Committee on March 23rd, 2023

[Coralee McGuire-Cyrette]

I think that was me.

When we look at barrier-free access, when the woman needs the service, she gets the service. We have to change our systems to meet her needs, as opposed to her meeting our needs.

A lot of times, when you need help, support or access to a service, and when there are multiple things involved, you get a referral. As an agency, we created a centralized intake office. The woman will call into that centralized intake office and we have to figure out who in our system is best able to support her so she doesn't have to tell that story repeatedly. It's up to us to make that change, make sure it's as barrier-free as possible and meets her needs.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Thanks so much, Coralee.

I'm going to pass it over to Anita.

You have one minute.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Ms. Omeniho, you didn't get a chance to complete your opening remarks, so I'll give you the minute to do that.

[Melanie Omeniho]

Actually, I mostly got to complete them. I never got to do all the notes they gave me.

The reality is we need to make sure there are services by indigenous women for indigenous women, developed by the victims of human trafficking, so they are best suited for the people they were designed for.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Coralee, I'm wondering whether you have any final remarks.

[Coralee McGuire-Cyrette]

Definitely. I think one piece I would like to see is a 24-7 response for indigenous women. That's what's needed in this country.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

On behalf of the committee, I would greatly like to thank you both, Melanie and Coralee, for coming here and providing this testimony. It will be very useful when we're doing our study, so thank you. You may carry on.

Members, I have about three minutes of work that we need to do before we leave for the day. This has to do with some committee business.

On Wednesday, March 22, a proposed study budget in the amount of $39,600 was circulated to all the members for their consideration.

Shall this budget be adopted? I'm looking for a motion to adopt our budget.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

I so move.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

On Wednesday, March 22, SBLI agreed to grant FEWO a travel budget of $73,878. Earlier, the House adopted a motion authorizing FEWO to travel and we will be going—Marc, you and I will have to discuss this more—to Vancouver, Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Sault Ste. Marie, Halifax and Dartmouth in the spring of 2023. We are looking at the week of April 10.

I'm going to explain. This was something Marc came to talk to me about. We talked about regions, so when we're talking about the Peel region, we needed to break that down into cities, which would be Brampton and Mississauga. That's why it looks big-city focused, but it was a regional approach when we were looking at that.

There was the choice between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury, and Sault Ste. Marie was chosen. That's why it's looking like that.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Could you repeat the cities?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

We'd go to Vancouver and then Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton—that's kind of the GTA—Sault Ste. Marie, Halifax and Dartmouth. They might be just across the river, but they're two different destinations. That's why, when you're looking at Halifax and Dartmouth, we have to put it that way.

Yes, Leah?

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Will we be finished by the 14th?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

It's April 10 through 14. That is correct.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Then we can go home before we have to go back to the dungeon.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

I will take you home myself. I know what you call it.

Anyway, I want to give you a few more pieces of advice. A few questions had been asked.

In terms of travel, there was whether or not it can be a division of different people travelling from the committee.

In terms of travel, a member can be replaced partway through by another member or even multiple members in different cities. However, the expense is only incurred once by the committee. Any additional expenses to get a replacement to and from a city may not be covered by the travel budget of FEWO. Members are free to join the committee travel, i.e., a member may choose to participate in his or her riding, and the cost for travel would be borne by the member.

Would that mean that we could put it in our MOB? Is that correct? If I'm travelling out to meet somebody and start, that could be part of my MOB, could it not?

We will make sure we have that answer for you, because I know there are some discussions. I was thinking, for instance, that Sonia may pick us up in Brampton as we're right there.

We'll work this all out. I will make sure over the next couple of days that we have all of this information. I am looking at meeting with the vice-chairs so that we can discuss this further, because there's a lot of information that we need to go through.

The proposed dates for travel are from Monday, April 10 to Friday, April 14. Seven members are going to be authorized to travel. We do not know who is travelling. I know we need to discuss amongst our own, but that is just some information if you want to split it up.

There are going to be questionnaires sent out to those who are travelling asking, for example, where you are travelling from. That kind of information will need to be known. They'll probably want to know what we can and cannot eat and that kind of important stuff. Is that correct?

Okay. Are there any questions before we go further?

Go ahead, Sonia.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Madam Chair, can we have a draft itinerary? If we can make it before—

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Absolutely. I'm going to be reaching out to you, Leah, Dominique and Andréanne to come up with a solution of what this may look like, and then we'll send that proposal out to everybody.

What we're looking for right now is.... We don't need to approve anything. We can discuss the travel plans. I'll start with a letter and then send it out to all of us to communicate through our parties, if that's okay.

Are there any other questions on that?

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

How many people did you say would be travelling?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

There will be seven in total. That will be three Liberals, two Conservatives, Andréanne and Leah. There will be one NDP, one Bloc, two Conservatives and three Liberals.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

That's okay. That's fine. We weren't planning on going. That is what the total would be.

Are there any questions?

Seeing no questions, can I get a motion to adjourn?

I have a motion from Anita.

That's all done. Fantastic.