I'd like to start by saying that democracy in this country means more than putting a check mark on a ballot once every four years. I take my democratic responsibility and my rights quite seriously, and that's why I do the work I do, through the United Church of Canada, as well as with every low-income and grassroots organization and equality-seeking group I'm involved with.
It is our right and our responsibility to use that Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Constitution, to ensure that all our constitutional rights are upheld and not being violated.
Can our government make a mistake when they bring in a law? They're not infallible, and I don't think it's done intentionally. As a woman who over the years had to try to fight for rights.... If women hadn't fought for their rights and taken their democratic responsibility seriously, would you women be around this table today? Would all of us women have any voting rights? I need to ask that question. If we hadn't taken our democratic responsibility seriously.... To take it seriously in this country today requires having some funding to access domestic remedies. That's what court challenges is about, and the funding, and I thought we were here at this table to talk about the truth of the program, not to perpetuate false perceptions.
So I hope what comes out of all these hearings is the truth.