Evidence of meeting #36 for Justice and Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was prostitution.
A video is available from Parliament.
NDP
Pierre Jacob NDP Brome—Missisquoi, QC
Thank you, Ms. Kilroy.
My second question is for Ms. Audette and all the other witnesses.
Did the government hold sufficient consultations before introducing this bill? Do you think that four days of public hearings are enough to properly examine the legislation?
President, Native Women's Association of Canada
Over the last 20 years, regardless of the government's political affiliation, in the case of all bills to which amendments were being made, there was never enough time to discuss the issue of aboriginal women. The situation is the same when it comes to Bill C-36.
We have been developing an expertise in this field since 1974. We work with and for women. The two or three short hours we are spending with you are far from being sufficient. I think that you now have an opportunity to make the changes we are calling for.
When people are consulted, they have to understand what is happening. Today's topic of study must be addressed with aboriginal women in mind. Our organizations have to be provided with the tools they need to reflect on this and participate in round tables. In addition, individuals who are directly affected and the organizations that defend their interests must be able to make recommendations to you.
Executive Director, London Abused Women's Centre
Well, I think there could never be too much of a good thing, of consultations. Clearly I'm of the opinion that the chairman today only gave me five minutes and not the full ten. I had that speech timed to the minute, but—
Conservative
Executive Director, London Abused Women's Centre
Many of us did have the opportunity to meet with individual MPs in advance of today, many around this table today. We've also had numerous phone calls and things like that. But, of course, we would like many more hours of consultation to convince you of our views.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mike Wallace
Okay.
Our last questioner wants to follow up on a previous question, I think.
Mr. Dechert.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
We just want to hear from Ms. Walker and Ms. MacLeod on that point.
Do you think that criminalizing the purchase of sex will make the sex trade more dangerous in Canada?
Executive Director, London Abused Women's Centre
I'm so glad to come back to you on that because I had one squeezy little answer on your choice thing too.
Prostitution is inherently violent. We've heard that consistently from every woman we've worked with. It will not make it more violent to criminalize johns and pimps. Again, we need to look to future generations about how we're going to change things.
As for your question about choice previously, it's important that when people ask that question that we give it back to them and talk about how when you ask about the choice of women, when you ask about the decisions of women, it revictimizes them because it blames them. We need to stop asking about the choices of women, and instead ask johns and pimps why they choose to do this to women.
Founder, Rising Angels
You have to understand that the johns and the pimps and the traffickers aren't being criminalized right now, and I was being beaten all of the time. So to say that criminalizing them is going to move it underground and cause it to be more dangerous, that's not the case. Prostitution is violence against women any way you want to cut it.
These are not normal men who are coming in to use these women. They are coming in to use these women because there are things they would not do to their wives, that they think are not proper. So they're going to use women like me. There are things they want to live out—fantasies. They're going to do them to women they can degrade. This is what I've seen time and time again. I could tell you countless hours of stories about the things men wanted, which I have been made to do, that were very degrading.
I think criminalizing them and making them accountable.... They need to be punished for their actions. You can't go around hurting people. We wouldn't allow this to happen to our children, so why are we allowing it to happen to our women?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mike Wallace
Thank you very much.
Thank you for those questions and answers.
Thank you for being witnesses for this study on Bill C-36. We will continue looking at it further today, again tomorrow, and then on Thursday. We appreciate your input on this bill.
With that, we will adjourn for approximately half an hour.