Status of Women Committee on Oct. 8th, 2009

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Aboriginals are a federal government responsibility.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I agree, but I want to be certain that everyone is working together. Do you understand? We can help each other, the provinces and the federal government can cooperate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Madame Boucher, I want to clarify. The federal government has a fiduciary and full responsibility for aboriginal people.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I know that, but—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

So this is a federal and not a provincial jurisdiction.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I am trying to explain that we must all work together.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes. That's a valid point.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I just want to clarify that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Harris.

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Actually, my point has already been made.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

What was that, Mr. Harris?

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

It was regarding putting those—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

—two pieces together. Thank you.

Ms. Neville.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I'm speaking against the amendment of the motion. They are two very different concepts or ideas in my mind. The motion that Madame Demers put forward is a motion calling on the government to do follow-up, to take action, and that's what, as you undoubtedly have heard, we have been calling for every day in the House for the last week and before.

This is not a time for more reports. I have seen the government's reports to CEDAW and to the UN. They are not substantive. They gloss over the issues. In fact, I would really like those responses to come to this committee for discussion, but that's another issue.

I think it's mixing two different things altogether, and I would certainly not support the amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Ms. Neville.

Ms. Mathyssen.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you.

I would like to underscore what's been said. I recall that last February the government report to the UN was greeted by women from Canada protesting, they were so incensed by the glossing over and the lack of action.

Quite frankly, I don't want them to get away with it again. I want to come back to the motion, however. I want to be really clear.

Madame Demers, you want action, so I'm wondering why not simply say “call on the government to take action”, because their idea of follow-up may be entirely different from your idea of follow-up. As you say, it's time for action.

Could we say “that the government report that action to the House”, to tell the House what it has done in plain and simple terms without all of this dancing around with obfuscation in UN reports?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Ms. Hoeppner.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something. I think the best thing we can do to protect women is to make sure that people who commit crimes against them go to jail and stay there for as long as they need to. That's the first thing we need to do. Terms like “follow up” and “take action” don't really serve the purpose. I have a woman in my riding in Long Plains Reserve who's been missing for a long time. I have another woman from Portage La Prairie who's been missing. I imagine the people who have perpetrated these crimes have criminal records. We have work to do for women. Instead of trying to push some political agenda, let's see what we can really do to protect women against criminals. We call on the government to follow up on the report, but what does “follow-up” mean?

[An hon. member]

Read the recommendation.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

We need to make sure that those who are victimizing women are not out in the open where they can continue to commit crimes. I support the amendment because at least there is some action taken. When we have access to those reports, we can see, and NGOs can see, what those reports are. But if we're serious about protecting women, we need to make sure that people who commit serious crimes are in jail. We should make sure that they do the time they have been given and that they aren't given double or triple for time served. I think that's what we need to be looking at.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Excuse me.

I'm going to have to call the question on the amendment soon because we're running out of time.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

A point of order, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Ms. Zarac wanted to speak.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

I would really appreciate it if Ms. Hoeppner did not challenge the integrity of the people sitting around this table who have long defended the rights of aboriginal women. This is not new and it is not political. Defending the rights of aboriginal women is not pushing some political agenda. Those were Ms. Hoeppner's words: “pushing some political agenda.“ I do not accept that we consider ourselves to be pushing some political agenda when we defend aboriginal women who are being killed and going missing!

We are not seeking stiffer prison sentences; that has nothing to do with it, Madam Chair. That is another debate, it has nothing to do with this. There is the political agenda. Madam Chair, I would like this to stop.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

It's part of the equation.