Evidence of meeting #12 for Status of Women in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Committee Researcher
The report Stolen Sisters was drafted by Amnesty International. I don't recall if trafficking in persons was discussed in the report, but I do know that it focussed on violence toward aboriginal women.
Committee Researcher
I can't say if the report established a direct link with trafficking in persons, but that possibility could be underscored to committee members.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
It would be helpful to get a copy of this report as well, if at all possible.
Liberal
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
I also have quite a bit of information in my office. I have compiled a binder on human trafficking. So after this report is out, if any of my colleagues would like to see the information I have in my office, I would be so pleased to share it with you. I don't want to inundate with you with a lot of paper--my binder is very fat. I suggest seeing what this report looks like, but I would also be very willing to share all this other information with you.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
There are a couple of other organizations I'd like to suggest, but I'm hesitant to. It was mentioned earlier that after the motion had passed we would discuss the parameters of this study, and we still haven't. Before I even start recommending organizations--of which there are many, both international and national--I would like to know what the parameters of the study are. Are we looking only within Canada, or are we looking at the international situation, which is a much broader thing?
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
It's a huge study dealing with developing countries, third-world countries, and all kinds of things. It's a law-and-order type of issue. There are some laws now in Canada where Canadians, when they're travelling abroad and engaging in any activities with prostitution, can be charged. I think it's only happened once. I'm not sure. I would have to think about how trafficking is linked to that. So there are already laws on the books in Canada with respect to Canadian citizens travelling abroad. I'd like to get a sense of what we're studying before deciding which organizations I'd like to recommend.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
On the parameters I would like to see in our committee, first of all we need to gather knowledge about trafficking into North America and Canada. We will have to get information--and I have a lot of it--on immigrants to whom this has happened in different countries. It's not only Asia; there are many different countries in which this is happening. So it's defined in Canada, but it touches on the U.S. through Ambassador Miller's office there. It also touches on other countries.
What we're looking at in human trafficking is what happens here on the shores of North America, but it doesn't just happen within Canada and with Canadians. It happens when orphans from Ukraine are let out of the orphanages and the predators are there, ready to promise them all sorts of wonderful things. Then they end up being trafficked into the North American continent.
So the first parameter should be to find out about this issue and how it works. Then we need to bring people in from the religious organizations, Ambassador Miller's office, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and Canadian NGOs. There are a lot of people.
I recommend first of all, as I said before, we view the RCMP video, because they can give us a really good parameter on how this works.
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Perhaps we could take the RCMP video and watch it at home, so as not to take up time in committee.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Certainly. I will have the research staff put in a request for the video--that would save us some time--and see if we can all get a copy of it as soon as possible.
Ms. Mourani.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Of course we want to examine the issue of trafficking in persons, but not strictly from a Canadian perspective. We need to look at the international side of the problem, because both realities are closely connected. We cannot draw a line and separate the two.
Whether we like it or not, in this era of globalization, borders are very porous. Trafficking in persons extends beyond our borders and has an impact internationally. When we meet with the witnesses, we could be more specific. For example, when an RCMP representative testifies, I might be interested in a very specific issue, whereas Ms. Smith could be interested in something else. By adopting this approach, we'll end up with a richer, more interesting, report.
I don't think we should limit the debate in any way. We're dealing with a global phenomenon and we have responsibilities as international players. It's our job to take responsibility. After all, we're federal, not provincial, government members.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I think the researchers have an idea of where we want to go with this and our witnesses. Is there anyone who is currently on this list that anyone objects to specifically? On the witness list you currently have before you, is there anyone you don't think is appropriate to come before us, always keeping in mind this issue of time and the number of weeks we have?
Conservative
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
I'm not sure if Ms. Côté is available to testify. From what I was recently told, the National Association of Women and the Law no longer exists, because its funding dried up. That's a major problem. It's unlikely that this person will able to testify, because the association no longer exists. I can't say if, like a phoenix, the association will rise from the ashes after the 26th of the month. That would be nice, but until then, we're in the dark. Therefore, we should put a question mark here.
Elsewhere, I think it's important to meet with Canadian NGOs, as well as with one or two experts on street gangs.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
The clerk will pull a budget together for this study. We will have it before us next Tuesday. We will start to plan for getting departmental witnesses here next Tuesday, but we will also stay available in case the minister can come next Tuesday specifically on the funding issue, since it seems to be an issue of urgency. We will try both of those things.
Is there anything else we need to discuss? We've decided what we're working on. We will work on the witnesses in preparation for next week. Are there any other comments or issues we need to discuss?
Ms. Minna, you passed out a motion.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
On a closing note, Madam Chair, can we suggest possible witnesses? I did send you a list, but I don't see any of the names I proposed listed here.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
If anyone else has suggestions for possible witnesses, please submit them to the clerk; she will work with the researchers, and we'll do our best to accommodate the witnesses within the timeframes we have. We'll have to make our best suggestions, because we won't be able to hear from all of them in the time we have.
Ms. Minna, to your motion.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Madam Chair, I brought forward this motion so that we could discuss it the next time we get together. It's primarily because we have received some reports from the government with respect to gender-based analysis, with reassurances that it's being done and so on, but I know that on the website for CIDA, for instance, all references to gender-based analysis and women's equality have now been removed, and I know there are issues at another department.
I would like to at least have the deputy ministers here to tell us exactly what they're doing to implement GBA in their respective departments. It would be a way to hold them accountable and to make sure it is in fact happening.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
We have requested a variety of ministers to come in and talk about it as well. We can deal with this specifically at our next meeting. It's here as notice and we'll deal with it at our next meeting.
Are there any other issues to discuss?
All right. Thank you all very much. We will see you on Tuesday.
The meeting is adjourned.