Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on June 1st, 2021

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

I'll have to interrupt. There are only 10 seconds left, and we're going to be going over time. Perhaps that can get picked up in a subsequent question and answer, but right now I'm going to ask Ms. Zann to go ahead for six minutes.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you very much. Actually, I will be getting there, so thank you for starting that question.

I want to say to begin with that I know our government has acknowledged that indigenous women and girls experience some of the highest rates of violence in this country and that the COVID‑19 pandemic has only exacerbated this already dire situation. Recently we've seen deeply distressing stories in the media about the lack of proper treatment of indigenous children in care. This is unacceptable.

When women are provided the supports they need to allow them to evade potentially compromising situations, there is a lowered likelihood for exploitation. With regard to specific funding for gender-based violence prevention programming for indigenous women, funding now has been distinguished as capacity building for indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ people. That's because the missing and murdered women and girls inquiry necessitated that distinction. The allocated funding for this year's budget, budget 2021, represents $415 million specifically for the Department of Women and Gender Equality, which contributes to a total of $601.3 million to advance the national action plan to end gender-based violence.

I have a question for Public Safety.

In 2019, Canada's national strategy to combat human trafficking added the new pillar of empowerment to emphasize the important role that victims and survivors play in combatting human trafficking. Can you update our committee on what kind of work is being done under this new pillar and on what new funding is being provided to grassroots organizations to facilitate trauma-informed support?

[Michelle Van De Bogart]

I can speak to the monies that have been allocated to grassroots organizations, including indigenous organizations.

In 2020, under the national strategy to combat human trafficking, both Public Safety and Women and Gender Equality Canada were awarded up to $22.4 million. That money allowed us to support 63 organizations working to address human trafficking and to support at-risk populations and survivors.

Speaking specifically from Public Safety, we received up to $8.4 million out of that initial $22.4 million. We are supporting 20 projects that work to prevent and address human trafficking and support survivors. Out of those 20 projects, 15 serve indigenous populations.

Among the types of projects we are currently supporting, some of those organizations are delivering empowerment programs for at-risk youth pilot projects, and also youth hackathons. Youth hackathons are pretty amazing to me, because students, software developers and socially responsible technology companies are brought together and they develop ideas on how they can use social media to target and combat human trafficking, which of course is directly.... All of us are on social media, but we know that the young are drawn to it.

Those are some examples of the monies going to grassroots organizations to deal with empowerment.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you. That's very interesting.

I have a question regarding the RCMP and public safety. It's to anyone who would like to answer.

We know that human trafficking generates large sums of profits, and we know that under DRAP, the previous Conservative government's cuts led to the disbanding of all 13 integrated proceeds of crime units, units that had been dedicated to addressing money laundering. Recently, $98 million was approved for the RCMP with teams in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec City. What work is being done to focus on the money-laundering aspect within the crime of sexual human trafficking? Could the RCMP perhaps answer that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

There are 30 seconds left.

[Sam Jaroudi]

Unfortunately, I cannot respond on money laundering. It's not my area of responsibility. However, if you wish, I can provide the response in writing afterwards.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

All right.

Is there anybody else here, perhaps from Public Safety, who wants to comment on that, please?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

We're right out of time.

Ms. Blaney, in order to ensure that you get your question in, we'll have to extend. We're not able to extend too much, but are we agreed that we will extend the meeting?

All are in favour. We'll extend briefly after one o'clock. Right now we'll go to Madame Bérubé for six minutes.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I am on the territory of the Cree and Anishinabe of Abitibi—Baie‑James—Nunavik—Eeyou in Quebec.

My question is for Ms. Van De Bogart.

Ms. Van De Bogart, you mentioned a hotline earlier. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this hotline that people can use to report cases of human trafficking?

[Michelle Van De Bogart]

Thank you for the question. I hope you can hear through the translation.

The hotline is a toll-free service. I mentioned that it's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It refers victims to local law enforcement, to shelters and to other supports and services. Because it's available all the time—and, as I mentioned, in over 200 languages, 27 of them indigenous—it allows an opportunity for people to call and obtain all sorts of information and to have specific supports put in place that they might need.

We speak about victims, but this service allows people to find avenues for shelter or perhaps for addressing issues around sexual and physical abuse and domestic violence, and they can get information from law enforcement as well.

The hotline has trained operators, and they are trauma informed. There is an understanding and a recognition when they are speaking to these individuals of how to interact with them and how to support the victims and be able to direct them to the supports that they require.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

I have another question for you.

Do indigenous people use this service? Is it consistent with their culture? Do you have any statistics on this?

[Michelle Van De Bogart]

The hotline does keep track of some information. I do not have it at my fingertips, but I would be happy to get back to you on what's possible.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

My next question is for all of you.

Do you have any recommendations for improving the ability of government institutions and indigenous organizations to identify potential victims and locations of human trafficking?

[Michelle Van De Bogart]

One of the things I want to speak to you about is one of the pillars of the national strategy, specifically about building capacity and working with our partnerships.

We're working in collaboration with federal, provincial and territorial partners. I work with my colleagues in other departments to strengthen, to share ideas and to inform. Part of that is consultation and conversations with grassroots organizations, elders, indigenous leaders and indigenous organizations to try to find ways that we can respond and offer support.

The voices of those who are survivors and those who have been impacted by human trafficking are important in order for us to build, to strengthen and to continue to grow in offering support through Public Safety.

[Sam Jaroudi]

For the RCMP, I would say that building trust with communities is the most important thing in tackling this issue.

As mentioned earlier, victims and witnesses and their families are very reluctant to come to law enforcement. However, we've built a lot of networks and relationships and we participate in a lot of community events and discussions on human trafficking to have that exposure between police and the public, and hopefully that plays out over time.

We recognize that it's not something that can be achieved overnight, but we're working hard on that aspect. We're also supporting that approach by training our police officers and employees in general on being culturally sensitive, as well as utilizing trauma-informed approaches.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

You have one minute.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Could you share with me some best or promising practices for protecting indigenous victims?

[Sam Jaroudi]

I don't know if Public Safety or the other representatives speaking about shelters want to add anything to that. From an RCMP perspective, we definitely work on two levels. The first is at the local level with local partners, as I mentioned, to strengthen relationships that then benefit the victims. We are utilizing a victim lens approach as well as a trauma-informed approach.

Then within the same scope but from a national perspective, we work, for example, with the ombudsman of victims of crime. We are currently developing a victims rights card that would be presented by police officers to victims to advise them of their rights.

There are a lot of projects, a lot of practical things ongoing at the local level, but we're also initiating at the national level to be able to support frontline police and their interactions, as mentioned, in a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed manner with a victim lens.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Thank you very much.

To conclude, we have Ms. Blaney for six minutes.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Thank you, Chair. Thank you for giving the committee a few extra minutes so I could ask my questions.

I'm going to ask this question and I'm going to allow whoever the best person is to respond. I'm just giving you a heads-up before I start.

There was a submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights in 2018. The Native Women's Association of Canada stated that:

Some of the recurring themes that contribute to the recruitment of indigenous women into human trafficking include:

Precarious housing and poor living conditions

High rates of unemployment, unstable employment, and low working wages

Lack of access to social and economic resources and programs

Prior exposure to human trafficking and the sex trade from a young age (through family or friends)

Family violence and the impacts of colonialism (such as residential school experience and intergenerational trauma)

I'm just wondering if I could get a few specific examples of how this is being addressed by the federal government, if it is at all.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Who would like that?

[Michelle Van De Bogart]

It's Michelle from Public Safety Canada. I apologize; I can't see other people. I'm not sure if it's appropriate for me to speak at this point.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Please go ahead.

[Michelle Van De Bogart]

What I would say is what I mentioned in in my opening statements, all of which basically just mirrored all of what you just highlighted.

We know the complexity of human trafficking. I would say that the Government of Canada first started with the introduction of the funding for the hotline that was launched in May of 2019. That was followed by the national strategy to combat human trafficking, which is a five-year project. There are some concrete examples that I can share with you.

First and foremost, when we were developing this strategy, we ensured that we did regional and national consultations. Those involved conversations with elders, indigenous leaders and indigenous communities—

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I'm really looking for something concrete. I'm not trying to be rude, but I am looking for something concrete. I understand the process, but the point is that some very clear things are contributing to women continuing to go in this direction and being forced in this direction. Housing and employment are key things, so what about those?

A hotline isn't that.