Evidence of meeting #43 for Status of Women in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was women.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
At this point, I am willing to withdraw the motion, but I do hope that in the future... You know, after we had spent the hard work coming up with a plan, it was terribly, terribly disappointing when we sort of shifted gears right in the middle. I hope in the future, when we spend the effort to determine what our plan is going to be, unless something absolutely critical comes along, that we'll stay with the plan. But I'll withdraw my motion.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
We need unanimous consent to withdraw your motion, Ms. McLeod.
Do we have unanimous consent?
We do. Good. Then the motion is withdrawn.
Now, we have another notice of motion on the table to deal with very quickly. It's the November 26, 2009, motion by Anita Neville:
Given the recent concerns expressed in media by the Vancouver Police Department and given the fact that the Vancouver Winter Olympics are only 78 days away; that the Standing Committee on the Status of Women recall those witnesses who appeared before the committee on June 11, 2009, and invite representatives from the Vancouver Police Department to determine that the measures and initiatives put in place to curtail human trafficking are adequate and appropriately funded; and to determine what further measures are required to ensure that the appropriate authorities are successful in curtailing human trafficking during the Vancouver Olympic Games.
Go ahead, please, Ms. Neville.
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Just very briefly, Madam Chair, this committee has been dealing with the issue, first, of human trafficking, but also, out of the original study on human trafficking, the issue of trafficking at the Olympic games. We've been following the progress. We've had representatives in, over the course of the last 18 months, to speak to it. The motion is self-explanatory. The Olympics are coming, and we're hearing conflicting reports on what is and is not being done in preparation for the Olympics. We're hearing on the ground that not enough is being done. The minister in fact said there are initiatives being taken. I think it's incumbent upon this committee to hold everybody to account to ensure that we can maximize the reduction of human trafficking.
Conservative
Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
I was just thinking that because we are typically the kind of committee that has a very fulsome discussion on every motion, I don't think we're going to get this finished and give it the amount of time it needs. Is there any way we could do this on Tuesday so that we can give it the time it needs? I think we're all going to want to discuss it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I would like to speak to the fact that we have a very tight schedule on Tuesday next week because we are going to be discussing elements of the draft report so that we can get it the next day. I think we have two sets of people coming in. So there will not be very much time to discuss this, and I think we already allowed the motion to stand, so withdrawing the motion now would require unanimous consent of the committee.
I think the motion is standing and will be voted on according to how people have decided they want to vote on it.
We now have Ms. Wong. Were you going to repeat what Ms. Hoeppner said?
Can we pass? Was it the same thing?
Conservative
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond, BC
I just want to let you know that two or three months ago I made an announcement on behalf of the Minister of Immigration stating that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration had already empowered visa officers to stop, at their discretion, individuals they were expecting--for example, women who were exotic dancers--to apply for temporary work permits to get into the country. They have already--
Conservative
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond, BC
This is human trafficking. It may turn out to be human trafficking. Therefore, some measures have been taken. That's my first point.
My second point is that, by the same token, we said just a minute ago that we all agree that we have another study that has been waiting and waiting and waiting. Now, all of a sudden, we have something crucial come up and we say, “Oh yes, this is a good idea. Why don't we do it?” We have already passed the resolution that we need to do the other study, and now we have another study coming up. So I don't see the logic of this.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Ms. Wong, this is not a request for a study. This is not a request based on what is happening with immigration. If you read the first line it says, “Given recent concerns expressed in the media by the Vancouver Police Department”.
This is not by anyone else. This group met with witnesses from CBSA, Immigration Canada, the RCMP, etc., here on June 11 just for one meeting. They gave us a fulsome plan, which this whole committee was satisfied with. It was a good plan. You said what Immigration is doing, and all of that was in the plan. We all thought it was a good plan. We now hear that the Vancouver Police Department, and these are the police in the city where the Olympics are being held, are concerned.
As did Ms. Zarac, Ms. Neville is speaking to find out what they are concerned about, instead of taking it from a media report. So this is not a study. I just wanted to make it clear that I do not believe Ms. Neville is asking for a study. She's just asking for a double-checking on what we heard and what the police are saying and whether it's true. She's obviously trying to seek some sort of clarification.
Next is Madam Boucher, and then Madam Demers.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
No?
Okay, good.
Madam Demers--not that I don't like to hear from you, Madam Boucher.
Bloc
Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC
Madam Chair, the people from the coalition of organizations that are ensuring there will be no sex traffic in Vancouver assured us that everything was going well and that everything would be operational in Vancouver. Now we discover that is not the case. Vancouver police say they do not communicate with that group, with the unit that has been put in place.
The unit put in place is doing nothing at this time. The Vancouver police force is doing nothing either. They don't have the means to do anything. I don't understand how we can stop people at the border between Seattle and Vancouver. However, what is happening for the people who are already in Canada, in Toronto, for example?
Prostitutes took part in a news report and said that their pimps were already getting organized for them to be in Vancouver. They also said that a number of other prostitutes from across Canada, prostitutes who work the streets, were getting organized to go to Vancouver. Those people won't be crossing any borders, and this will nevertheless be human trafficking on a large scale. We'll be dealing with a problem of human trafficking on a large scale. The Salvation Army has already established a place to help persons who will be in dangerous situations.
If the unit set up isn't able to do the job, that must be because there are deficiencies. We have to know what those deficiencies are in order to give it the resources to do its job right.
We're working hard on this matter. Ms. Smith has worked very hard on human trafficking. We shouldn't let that slip through the net. There are only 67 days left before the Olympic Games, which does not leave a lot of time to put an efficient system into place to ensure that there is no human trafficking in Vancouver. We have to be brought up to date.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I do support this. I do recall the meeting of June 11 and the assurances that were given. I would think, as Ms. Demers said, because of the concern the government has expressed, that Joy Smith has expressed, that it behooves us to pursue this, in light of what the media reports contain.
I'd also like to add that I would like to have the Salvation Army come to give us a sense of their concern and what they feel. Obviously, they've felt compelled to do something significant in regard to the number of women who will be trafficked in. I would like to hear their perspective as well.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you, Ms. Mathyssen.
I'm going to call the vote on calling back these witnesses for one hearing.
(Motion agreed to)
Thank you.
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Madam Chair, could I raise something under the business, please?
Liberal
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
It's on a motion that's been passed, and I'm following up on it. On October 14 we asked the government to respond to the recommendations from the report on the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. We asked for that information, for an update on it and for a draft response to be sent to this committee. I'm just asking for follow-up, please.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
We tabled it in the House, so I think the government has, what, 90 days to respond? How long does it have?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
It has 120 days to respond. I think there is time for the government to yet respond.
Now, let us move on. I think we've finished the orders of the day.
Quickly, before you go, I just want to let you know that on Tuesday we're going to be having the last witnesses. There are two of them, from the public service and the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union.
After that, we could have a short piece of business. I think I would like Julie, the analyst, to tell you that she's going to give you all the information on Wednesday for you to look at so we can start going page by page on Thursday.
Now, having said that, given that we have Thursday, December 3, Tuesday, December 8, and hopefully, Thursday, December 10 to put this whole thing to bed, if the House rises on December 10, we may wish to discuss how we table our report and where. We may also need to bring in these witnesses.
I would ask the advice of this committee on how you see us filling that time and when we should bring in the witnesses. I would like to suggest it should be for no more than an hour, and it may be that we have to ask for some specific, short version of getting everybody to give us an update quickly, and then once they do, we can do a quick one-two on questions so we don't spend a heck of a lot of time and we just get the clarification we sought. I wanted to just remind you of the timelines, that's all.
Yes, Madam Boucher.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Madam Chair, could you tell me whether the committee will be sitting on December 10? I hope it will be sitting until Friday.
I put it to the Standing Committee on Official Languages. It might be interesting to meet for a little non-political Christmas get-together among friends, among committee members. We work very hard together for women. It seems to me it would be nice to meet together for an hour or an hour and a half. Do people agree with me?