You did. Thank you, Madam Chair.
There was a point, one example, Madam Chair—I'll just go back so that you have the full example. There was a time when I was actually brought to tears because of something that was said that personally attacked me. I felt personally violated and attacked as a result of comments being made, and I actually could not continue my duties as an MP on that committee. I had to leave the room so as not to disrupt the rest of the proceedings of the committee. When I brought it up with the chair afterwards, I was dismissed by the chair, just kind of shooed off. Then, when I challenged the chair—the person sitting in the chair at the time was male—my challenge was ignored. I was dismissed once again. We know that the proper procedure is for the Speaker of the House to make a ruling, and that was not done.
I appreciate our chair for apologizing to me after the fact, but at that point there was nothing that could be done.
Madam Chair, there are other examples that have taken place just today that continue to hinder my ability as a woman parliamentarian. As soon as the public part of our meeting disappears and there's bullying behaviour by members opposite, it doesn't make it a safe working environment for me when I have to deal with this type of harassment. When one member says, “Is that the only tool you have left in you?”, or when another member says, “Hey, Rathika, do you need a kleenex?”, making fun of me—sarcastic remarks about my very serious concerns, about my ability to continue my role, my ability to carry out my duties as a member of Parliament—it is seriously not tolerable, Madam Chair.
Another thing is with regard to women who are being personally attacked or whose authority is being questioned. For example, Madam Chair, you yourself saw how many times your rulings were just ignored and people continued to talk over them. When the chair makes a decision or a ruling, that is a ruling. And what did we see in this committee? Because you as a female chair made a ruling, people decided to ignore it and speak right over it.
This type of bullying behaviour cannot be tolerated. I refuse to continue in this type of working environment, Madam Chair. That is my question of privilege that I'm raising with you today.