Evidence of meeting #13 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 trafficking.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Yes. It has to happen that way.
We've also asked for meetings with Minister Finley regarding HRSDC, which I believe is pay equity as well. Minister Prentice has already agreed to come on October 24 to speak about matrimonial rights, and we are still waiting for confirmation from Ministers Toews and Blackburn.
So right now the minister is going to come and be prepared to speak to main estimates first.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
So that we have this put in the right direction, we will have the minister speak to the reports that we have received, plus some vision, and answer some questions that have to do with funding and a variety of other things. The main estimates would come on the 26th, at that meeting.
So, as you see, we're still trying to slot in different things. We have a list of witnesses from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Justice, and so on and so forth, on page 2. All of them have been requested and we're waiting for confirmation of a date.
Is everybody comfortable with the work plan that we are suggesting here?
Ms. Mourani.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
I see listed here representatives of the Toronto and Vancouver police sex crime units. We should also plan to invite someone from Montreal. If possible, I'd also like Mr. Gauthier, from the anti-gang unit, to speak to the committee about juvenile prostitution.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Certainly we will take those names down if the committee feels that they have something to contribute.
Does everybody have the work plan? There's a work plan that has been distributed to you as well, over and above the calendar. This is the suggested work plan for the study that we are about to do.
You also have in your package the report from the Library of Parliament on trafficking in persons. That should also be in your folder. It outlines the work that has been done, especially in the last few years, and the ongoing work that's being done by the joint committee that represents the justice department and others--ongoing, continued work on this issue. It's a very good report, by the way, so it needs to be applauded.
Lyne, would you like to run us through a bit of this work plan?
Lyne Casavant Committee Researcher
First of all, I'd like to respond to Ms. Mourani. Regarding juvenile prostitution in Quebec, the problem has been linked in part to human trafficking. In meeting 10, plans are to hear from Jacques Casgrain, a lawyer in charge of the Bureau de lutte contre le crime organisé in Quebec City. He has been involved in tracking down the juvenile prostitution network in that city. I don't know if that answers your question.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
It would be very interesting indeed to hear from him. Could we also invite some people from Montreal? Whether we like it or not, Quebec City is linked to Montreal. Street gangs first saw the light of day in Montreal and now they have spread to other communities in the province. Mr. Gauthier, the investigator in charge of the street gangs unit in Montreal, could also give us an overview of the situation in Quebec City and across the province in terms of juvenile prostitution and human trafficking.
His testimony would complement Mr. Casgrain's observations very nicely. We would thus have an overall view of the situation in Quebec.
Committee Researcher
I simply wanted to point out that this work plan was only intended to facilitate the discussion. It contains all of the names suggested by committee members since last June, in addition to any suggested more recently by certain members. It includes all of the names put forward. As analysts, we have added several names of individuals who should have testified on Bill C-49, but who weren't able to appear owing to time constraints.The plan is construed in such a way as to broach the issue of human trafficking from three perspectives, namely, prevention, victim protection and prosecution of traffickers. We based ourselves on the discussions on human trafficking that the committee has had since June.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Are there any further suggestions or comments on the work plan before you?
Ms. Mourani.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
So then, the three themes will be prevention, victim protection and prosecution. When the subject of prosecution arose, we were talking about measures put in place to counter human trafficking. Could we add an item for discussion, namely the link between prostitution and human trafficking?
Committee Researcher
Our first three meetings will be devoted to examining human trafficking in Canada and internationally. During the first meeting, the committee will consider the position of departments heading up the interdepartmental task force on human trafficking and look at the issue overall. The second and third meetings will focus on the causes and characteristics of human trafficking in Canada and around the world. These persons could testify before the committee and explain to members the connection between organized crime, prostitution and human trafficking.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
At the same time, could we also take a look at the link between legislative measures to legalize prostitution and human trafficking?
The Acting Chair Ms. Lyne Casavant
These individuals are certainly capable of answering questions of this nature, if put by committee members.
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
I'm just reviewing it. It's a very comprehensive list and I thank you. But I see two items that are missing. It's very much a justice-based or police-based list, and I'd like to see something included in here on the social undercurrents that cause women to go into trafficking. We can provide you with some suggestions.
Secondly, I would also like to see some representation from other community organizations. I think I've spoken to it before, but there is a significant amount of trafficking from Southeast Asia, and I don't see any representation here from groups representing those women. I think that's important.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
That's a good point. As we start, and certainly after we've heard from justice and the RCMP and so on, it will probably help us to narrow it down a bit, and to make sure we have the right people on this list to be representative of what we need. We could spend a hundred meetings on such an important topic and not be able to narrow ourselves down to be able to do something substantial on it. As we go forward, we will probably come up with some additional people over and above those we have here--or instead of them, in some cases.
Ms. Smith is next.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
I believe Ms. Neville has a good point, but I feel that we do have these on the listing. People like the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and the NGOs talk about the social undercurrents. Irena Soltys is one who talks about underlying causes that are not police kinds of things, as does Victor Malarek. The International Organization for Migration is another one that talks about that benefit. There are some here, definitely. Irene Sushko and The Future Group will definitely be able to give us some knowledge about the underlying social issues that are so important and lead to human trafficking as well.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
The researchers will look at the names and what Ms. Neville has suggested to make sure we have a full view of all sides of this issue. It will be important as we move forward as a committee.
Committee Researcher
If I can add something, Leslie Ann Jeffrey did a lot of her work in the Philippines, if I'm not mistaken, so she has a very good background on the causes of human trafficking and why the women are going from one country to another. She discussed that in great detail. If you have the name of a person who you think would be very good to discuss some of the issues for other parts of the country, we would certainly add it to the list.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Are there any further comments? Is everyone comfortable with the work plan before us?
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
I have one final observation to make.
The CLAP and the CIES could be possible additions to the list. I could send you more information about these organizations.
Personally, I'd be satisfied to hear from Mr. Gauthier and from the CLAP. Perhaps we could meet with the CIES if we have enough time, but it's not essential that we do. This would give us an overall picture of the situation.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
We will continue to share the list with all the members who are requesting different witnesses as we move forward, to ensure that we are going to be able to....
We had 14 meetings with all of the other things that are done, and if we want to move forward on it, we have to make sure we have an efficient list, so that we get extreme value from each of the people. I know we all do.
Do we need to adopt this work plan? If it's all agreed, the work plan is all right to move forward on.
You've had a chance to look at the calendar. Do you have any further comments on the calendar?
Bloc
Liberal