Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the committee members actually on both sides of the House with respect to this discussion.
I appreciate the motion that's been brought forward by Ms. Rempel. I think this has been an issue that has been brought to committee members' attention, and for some time has been out in the public in the sense that the atrocities that are taking place have been publicly reported and acknowledged as real, and yet, there seem to be barriers and roadblocks to action from government. We had witnesses who presented to committee around the work that they have been doing, and yet to no avail in terms of really moving this forward.
At the end of the day, what we're talking about is humanity. We now have a situation where other human beings are at extreme risk and have gone through indescribable suffering. I can't even imagine what some of the women and girls have gone through, and yet the international community seems not to be able to do anything.
We have an opportunity here at this committee to look into this issue, to try to find ways to address those barriers and roadblocks preventing humanitarian and compassionate action to be taken from Canada.
I welcome this motion. I welcome the amendment to make the scope broader, because I think it is important to acknowledge that there are a number of different groups and communities that are in similar situations that also need attention as well.
We just heard from a witness today who talked about a couple of groups that she had identified. I myself had been working with other community groups with respect to the LGBTQ community, and, in fact, they have been assessed. They have been processed. The UNHCR has acknowledged the risks that they are in, and they are actually under active persecution at the moment with the risks that they face. And they cannot find a pathway to here, to Canada, without extensive delays.
If we can find a way to expedite the support and the compassionate and humanitarian action from Canada with these vulnerable groups, I'm all for it. I will support the amendment as put forward in support of the motion.