Status of Women Committee on June 20th, 2017

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

I'm on the LIAI subcommittee now that's looking at how Parliament can change and do their different media things, so perhaps I can influence them and help you make a CD. I did make a CD myself.

Anyway, when we come back in the fall it will be September 18 and there are four meetings in September. The idea would be that, the first day we come back, we remind you to read the summary of evidence, if you haven't read it, and we revisit this motion of the next study with the information that's come from the clerk to make sure that really is what we want to study. Otherwise, we amend it so that it represents what we want to do, so that the clerk can then start planning the meetings and the work plan, and we'll have a subcommittee meeting to do that, where we can bring forward witness names.

Then the other three meetings in September would be the finishing of the economic status of women study. With the witnesses that are left to be called, it's about three full meetings. That would mean we would start writing our report on the economic status of women the week of October 2, and following until it's done, and meanwhile, interspersed, we would start studying our next study topic. That would be how we move forward.

The idea would be that for sure we'll have an economic status report in the House, probably in November, but it gives us the possibility, depending on how long this study is that we're talking about with the indigenous women and the justice system, we might have two reports that would go in before Christmas.

Do you have any ideas to improve the plan or any problem with that plan?

Ms. Malcolmson.

[Sheila Malcolmson, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

I have one tidy-up that we talked about just informally after the last meeting. I propose that we extend the public submission deadline, which I think closed May 15. If you want that in the form of a motion—

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Yes, I would make that in the form of a motion that we extend the deadline for submissions on the economic status of women study to August 15.

[Sheila Malcolmson, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Also we would send a press release to update stakeholders to advertising.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

That's great. Is there discussion on that motion?

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Good.

That is the committee business that I had. Is there any other committee business?

Ms. Damoff.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

This is likely our last meeting. I just want to thank all our colleagues, but especially you, Chair, for steering the ship. We've done some pretty impressive work. I think status of women, back in the day, used to be considered the backwater of committees, and we've done work that's pushed the government in legislation. It's made the front page of The Globe and Mail. We passed a private member's bill on sexual assault. I think very few committees work as well together as this one does. I commend everyone, but in particular our chair for her leadership, so thank you, as well as our analysts and clerk.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Thank you. I am very proud of the work this committee has done. I think it is a credit to all of you, including all the great support we have from our staff. I see that this committee has been able to work collaboratively to do things that are right for Canada.

I have heard commentary from various and sundry who have subbed in on this committee that they find the tone of this committee and the way this committee works together to be different from that of other parliamentary committees, so I would set this up as an example of how it can be done. I'm really pleased to see some quick follow-up on many of the recommendations that have come out of the GBA+ and the taking action to eliminate violence against women report.

Thanks to you, I think we can be proud of the work we've done. I look forward to continuing, although anything can happen. I don't even know if I will be a chair in the fall, so we'll wait and see how we go.

Mrs. Vecchio.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Thanks very much.

I just want to bring this to your attention because, Pam, you talked about the bill that we put forward. As parliamentarians, we don't really have that much influence on the Senate, but as any of you may have have read, as of Thursday and Friday of last week, Rona's bill has now stalled in the Senate and it is extremely unfortunate.

I don't want it to become political, because the bill was never about politics. This was about good policy. Rona called me on Friday morning to let me know that right now they are doing a tit for tat, and they are not willing to pass this bill through without other things. They are using this as leverage, saying, “Okay if you guys do this, then we'll do that,” which is absolutely ridiculous.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Who is?

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

The senators are.

I'm not trying to say it's partisan. It's somewhat partisan. The issue is that they are not willing to pass this motion through. They are waiting until after July 5, because as of July 5 this bill is dead because Rona will be retired. This is why I wanted to bring it to your attention. Right now, they are delaying it, and it has become a little bit more personal than it should be.

We started a few tweets and things like that on Friday. She had interviews with CBC yesterday. I think we are trying to push from the fact that unanimously it was passed in the House twice, not only on second reading but on third reading as well. It's just one of those things. I know the Senate is independent from us. I get that. At the same time, if there's any public opinion that might be out there, or even our saying, “This bill has stalled out”....

It has been absolutely ludicrous. Rona has been advised that right now.... It's really crazy, and I don't want to pull down anybody else. I was just at something actually with Mauril Bélanger's widow on Saturday, and she's a wonderful lady, but they are saying that unless the national anthem gets changed, they are not going to allow this to go through. That's what Rona was told.

I'm just giving you the gossip, since we're in camera.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

We're not in camera.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

I thought we were in camera.

Regardless, at the end of the day, I think what's really important is that we, as parliamentarians, worked very hard on this study. We did a really good job. When we did the violence against women study, we heard a lot of stuff there. We've heard a lot of stuff about this bill and what a great job it was going to do. We heard from our witnesses, and now it's stalled in the Senate. I'm very concerned.

Rona has been working very hard on this. I've been working on this. I'm not sure what you all would like to do, but as a committee, we worked. As a Parliament, we worked, so I would really like the Senate to just say, “This is what's good for Canadians. It doesn't matter about politics. This is about Canadians.”

I just wanted to bring that to your attention. It would even be worth retweeting something just saying that this is good legislation, such as, “The JUST Act is good legislation. Let's push this through.” It will die in the Senate on July 5 if it does not go through.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Is there any protocol to transfer bills to other people?

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Because it's in the Senate and because she's retiring, it's a little different. It's not as simple as sponsoring it in the House. Once it's sponsored in the House, then it has to go through unanimously, and unanimously again, but it's a little bit more difficult on this one.

I talked to Rona and Candice about it yesterday to ask what options we have, because as of July 5 it dies. Someone has to bring it back in the House. It has to go through a portion of the process again. Then, it can go back to the Senate after that.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I think we may want to look at some procedural rules in the Senate, because my understanding is that once there's a sponsor in the Senate, it no longer....

Mauril's bill is in the Senate, and he's sadly also not here.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

But if they return it back to the House.... It's the process when it gets returned back to the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

I think it needs unanimous consent when it comes back to the House to have a different member of the House represent....

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

But it dies in the Senate July 5 if it has not passed. That's what we've been advised.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Only if there are amendments, right? It wouldn't come back to the House....

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

No, we've been told a few other things. It's because of a retirement. I recognize Mauril's case is a little different. This is a retirement issue. Maybe you guys can look into it as well. I think it's a really big concern.

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Do we have a say? How can we as MPs—

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

As MPs, we don't have a say, but the public can put pressure just like they do on us. I just wanted to bring that to your attention.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

We'll check and follow up.

Ms. Nassif.

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

I would like to thank not only all the members of this committee for a job well done, but also the wonderful men who have worked hard and have demonstrated real leadership in this area. We are counting on you. Thank you for all your work and your support for our committee.

My thanks to you as well, Madam Chair.