Evidence of meeting #13 for COVID-19 Pandemic in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go back to Ms. Vecchio.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON

With all due respect, it's great that we have a strategy, but when money is not going to the doors of these organizations that provide these services, a strategy is nothing. It's all talk and no action. Where's the money?

12:45 p.m.

Peterborough—Kawartha Ontario

Liberal

Maryam Monsef LiberalMinister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development

Mr. Chair, let me pick up where my honourable colleague left off by acknowledging that trafficking is a heinous crime and that hundreds of organizations across the country are working to solve the challenges that come with human trafficking.

I remind my honourable colleague that hundreds of organizations have received supports, and we will have more to announce to further support—

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go back to Ms. Vecchio.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON

It's so very simple. What should we tell the young women and girls looking for these supports right now? What is the answer from the government?

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Maryam Monsef Liberal Peterborough—Kawartha, ON

Mr. Chair, no one should have to live a life with violence, whether it's sexual, physical, financial or emotional, and that the government of Canada—

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go back to Mrs. Vecchio.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON

Thank you very much.

Yesterday I happened to be part of the health committee, and the Battered Women's Support Services representative was there as a witness. She shared with me that the organizations that she is associated with, over 500 organizations that deal with sexual assault and shelters, did not receive funding. Can you explain why?

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Maryam Monsef Liberal Peterborough—Kawartha, ON

Mr. Chair, I want to thank Angela and the team at the Battered Women's Support Services. They are receiving funds through Feminists Deliver, but there are hundreds of organizations that will receive additional funds to provide the critical care that they need to support front lines and the most vulnerable in their communities, and we will have more to say soon.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON

Mr. Chair, we know that calls to centres like Battered Women's Support Services have gone up by 300 times, so this is a huge concern I have. What made this group of assault services and shelters ineligible?

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Maryam Monsef Liberal Peterborough—Kawartha, ON

Mr. Chair, my colleague is putting words in my mouth. As I said, hundreds of organizations like the Battered Women's Support Services are going to be receiving funds from the federal government in the coming days. We thank them for their work and we will have more to say very soon.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON

Mr. Chair, the need is now. For instance, at London Abused Women's Centre, calls are up by 45%. I've heard from communities where they've gone up 200%. As I said, yesterday I heard 300%. The money is needed now. Where is the money for this program?

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Maryam Monsef Liberal Peterborough—Kawartha, ON

Mr. Chair, some organizations are seeing demands up as high as 400% with their capacity limited by 400%. We've [Technical difficulty—Editor]centres and women's shelters, and 700 have received funds, with more to come soon.

I appreciate that this Parliament includes consensus among all colleagues that feminism and supporting women—

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go back to Ms. Vecchio.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON

If we're talking about being a feminist government, I have one single question. Yesterday the minister was not willing to answer the question, so I will ask the Minister for Women and Gender Equality.

How can a feminist government support the Wet'suwet'en First Nation women whose titles were stripped from them?

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Maryam Monsef Liberal Peterborough—Kawartha, ON

Mr. Chair, it sounds like my honourable colleague wants to compare their record on advancing equality with ours. We are happy to do that, and the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations has been working very hard to move this historic agreement forward.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON

These women have lost their titles, and the decisions were made with the hereditary chiefs and not the elected chiefs. Why is this government not standing up for these women hereditary chiefs who were stripped of their titles?

12:50 p.m.

Toronto—St. Paul's Ontario

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett LiberalMinister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

Mr. Chair, I think the honourable member knows that the route to self-determination is to have first nations, Inuit, and Métis determine their own governance and abide by their own laws. Right now the Wet'suwet'en nation is in that process of determining what kind of governance they would like.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll now go on to Mr. Sweet.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

David Sweet Conservative Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON

Thank you, Chair.

The Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act has passed both houses of Congress in the United States and is now on the way to the Oval Office for signature. What is Canada's position on this Muslim minority being jailed and re-educated by the Communist Party of China?

May 28th, 2020 / 12:50 p.m.

Markham—Thornhill Ontario

Liberal

Mary Ng LiberalMinister of Small Business

Mr. Chair, we are deeply concerned by the human rights situation faced by the Uighurs and other minorities in China. This is an issue our government has raised directly with the Chinese. Canada has also repeatedly voiced its concerns at the UN Human Rights Council. We will continue to call on—

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go back to Mr. Sweet.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

David Sweet Conservative Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON

The Burmese government is another being exploited by the CPC. Their Muslim minority was driven out and now languishes in Bangladesh, which is a commonwealth partner in the midst of this global pandemic. What will Canada do to answer the injustice done to the Rohingya?

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON

Canada will always stand with human rights. Canada has repeatedly voiced its concerns with the UN Human Rights Council. We will continue to call on the Chinese government to ensure that human rights of all of its people, including the freedom of religion, are fully respected.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

David Sweet Conservative Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON

Yesterday the rubber-stamp National People's Congress passed the national security bill undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and strengthening a grip of the Communist Party of China. Will the Prime Minister condemn this law?