I don't recall seeing anything in the budget, but I could be wrong. I think this is where if we're sending a signal, if this bill's main purpose is to send a signal, then I think a better signal would be sent if the government spent money on combatting violence against women. I think sometimes we're perhaps applying a double standard. I'm seeing cases of violence in my community. People come to me, not necessarily about honour-based violence, but violence nonetheless. However, because it's not honour-based, it doesn't get the headlines in the media and the attention of this committee.
If we are concerned about violence, we should be concerned about violence anywhere.
We're concerned about polygamous relationships. We should be concerned about all polygamous relationships. Again, I see women coming in who are the mistresses of the rich Chinese and Hong Kong business people who are allowed here, to come to Canada, because they have the money to do so. These women are left behind here, abandoned by their husband, and they have no way of supporting themselves. But if we expose these relationships as polygamous, they'll be gone the next day.
I think we really have to think about how we address these issues in a more coherent way.