I see. It's a personal thing.
Evidence of meeting #24 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 human.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #24 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 human.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
No, I understand. But it's your turn in the House; it has nothing to do with this committee.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
No, but Ms. Mourani very graciously put a motion together in support, because it's what we've been doing here, so we as a committee could all support that, because human trafficking is what we have been studying here under status of women.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
My point, Madam Chair, is this--and I apologize to Madam Mourani because I wasn't here earlier this morning, and this is the first time I've seen the motion. To be honest with you, I find this to be usurping the power of the committee. It's pre-emptive. Why are we doing this study if we're going to put forward a motion that this committee is going to bring forward as a recommendation anyway?
So it's pre-empting the committee's work in a sense. And I don't have a problem with the wording, as I said earlier. That's not the issue here. The issue is I don't understand why we're trying to pre-empt each other on a report that we all know we're going to deliver. I would assume that report would have this language in it anyway.
So I just find it rather strange, that's all. I have to say that. We're trying to take ownership of this. That's what the issue is.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
It's very unusual, during the work of a committee, to pre-empt what would probably be the number one recommendation of the report.
So I think it is a matter of timing. It might be important to reinforce the report and to do the motion right as the report is tabled in the House, but it seems unusual in terms of a parliamentary committee. If in every study we did, halfway through the study somebody came up with a motion that presumes a certain recommendation, it would mean that the work of committees would end up sort of a bit undone.
I don't think anybody has any trouble with it. It's just the timing of it that makes the work of the parliamentary committee a bit unusual.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
To be quite honest, I think this is a very positive thing to do, and I think this is definitely something we should support. For the first time in committee we're all on the same page on a big issue, and this is a very supportive kind of thing.
I would suggest that we take a vote on it, Madam Chair, and have our--
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
You're totally right. This is the kind of thing that would be the number one recommendation of our report. It would be the exact thing, but Ms. Mourani has tabled it. She has her last opportunity to speak to it, and....
12:55 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Madam Chair, I am sorry that my colleague believes it is unusual. She surely has much more experience than I do regarding the choice of the right time. However, even if it is possible that the motion will become the first recommendation, I don’t see where the problem is. If we, the committee, recommend something to the government, in cooperation with the provinces, I don’t see where the problem lies. We will be tabling our report in a few days, a few weeks at most. Ms. Smith tabled her motion in the House, and I find it excellent.
Can I continue or not? Can I speak or not?
12:55 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Madam Chair, I’d like to go over the background for all this.
In the beginning, when we first began to sit as a committee, we discussed for hours the possibility of studying the issue of human trafficking, but we had other priorities. We undertook other reviews, such as on the economic security of women. We talked about it at length.
I understand that Ms. Smith tabled a motion in May because it was one of her concerns. In September, our committee decided to study the issue of human trafficking. That is a good thing. A report will be tabled.
So, what could be more normal than to strengthen our position?
Ms. Smith tabled a motion in the House of Commons on the international trafficking of women, and the committee has the same concern with regard to Canada. We could table a report asking the government to take our concerns into account when deciding on its comprehensive strategy to combat human trafficking.
That’s all, there’s no problem there.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
It's a procedure issue. Technically, we are in the middle of a study. At the end of the study, our committee will agree and we'll put forth a report, and the number one recommendation probably will be this.
Again, it's a procedure issue. Normally we'd wait and the whole committee would put it in. It will be in the report. But you have tabled it. You are entitled to table it, and it is rightfully before us.
Would the committee like a vote on this, or is this unanimous?
12:55 p.m.
Some hon. members
It's unanimous.
12:55 p.m.
An hon. member
Nobody was going to vote against it.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
It's unanimous. The motion is carried.
On Thursday, we have Victor Malarek coming, and we'll also be viewing the video from the RCMP. It's really important that we try to get the other guys out early so that we have our time, along with an hour to discuss the draft report.
Thank you. The meeting is adjourned.