Evidence of meeting #154 for Health in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was sterilization.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Brenda Lucki  Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Judith Bartlett  Retired professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, As an Individual
Sonia Alimi  Research Coordinator, DisAbled Women's Network of Canada
Jihan Abbas  Researcher, DisAbled Women's Network of Canada
Lisa Richardson  Chair, Indigenous Health Committee, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Jennifer Blake  Chief Executive Officer, Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada

5:05 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

Okay. Thank you.

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bill Casey

Mr. McKinnon, we have two minutes left.

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC

Okay.

It seems to me, from what we've heard in the various panels, that one of the fundamental problems, among a number of fundamental problems, is that victims are not reporting. If they don't report to the police, then the police will never investigate. If they don't report to the hospital or the college of surgeons, those bodies will never investigate.

Dr. Richardson, you mentioned that all forced and coerced sterilization allegations in Canada must be thoroughly and impartially investigated, but if they're not made, how can we do that? How can we go forward and make it possible or easy for these incidents to be properly reported?

5:05 p.m.

Chair, Indigenous Health Committee, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Dr. Lisa Richardson

When we look at the MMIWG framework and the recommendation that there be an indigenous ombudsperson and an indigenous and human rights tribunal, at arm's length from all of these organizations, that may be one sort of mechanism. I do think, as Dr. Bartlett said, that given the institutional history and the ongoing racism that exists within these colonial institutions, we will have to look at a different approach. I think my venerable colleagues who wrote the MMIWG report explored that extensively and came up with the recommendation that there be an independent process.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC

Okay.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bill Casey

I'm sorry. The time is up.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC

Thank you.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bill Casey

To the panel, thank you so much for your contribution. I hope we can do justice to your testimony. I know we'll try. We probably won't turn this around overnight, but we'll give it our best shot. Thanks very much, on behalf of the entire committee, for your testimony.

We'll take a little break and then go in camera. We have two important things to do.

Thank you very much.

[Proceedings continue in camera]