Status of Women Committee on Feb. 13th, 2018

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Thank you. This was powerful and moving, and I look forward to including your testimony in our report and recommendations.

I have one question for you, Ms. Edwards. Building on the testimony of Madam Landry, the issue of trust in the system is obviously a very real one. Indigenous people and indigenous women are dramatically overrepresented in the incarcerated population.

I note that in Nova Scotia, the first time we had a Mi'kmaq lawyer in the system was in 1993. Is there an opportunity for us to include more indigenous people, and indigenous women in particular, in the system? Will that help build the kind of trust that is so sorely lacking today?

[Teresa Edwards]

I do believe it will, and as well on juries and in every aspect. We need to see ourselves reflected in public service in every aspect, including within the justice system, so it can only help.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Once again, I'd like to thank Marie-Claude Landry, Fiona Keith, and Teresa Edwards for joining us today.

Before we wrap up, although I'm done with the panel, I do have one thing. The estimates were tabled. In the past, we have always invited the minister, so I'm looking for consensus. Everything has to be returned to the House by March 21. What we also have to take into consideration is that budget day is February 27; therefore, there will be one day when we won't be sitting. I'm just wondering if I can get approval to extend an invitation to the minister.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Do we have another meeting before that?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Pardon me?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Do we have a free slot?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

We're going to have to mix and match. There's already a lot of mixing and matching that we have to do because of budget day and a variety of other things. I'm just looking for consensus to invite the minister. Can we get approval on that?

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Are you asking if we can do it before February 20?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

No. I—

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

No. We have about two days to do it. Alas and unfortunately, because for three weeks out of the next month we're not here, there are only a few options.

We'll have the clerk try this.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Kenza Gamassi]

All right.

We're not sitting on the 15th, which is next Thursday. Because of the budget on February 27, that leaves us with one day. It would be March 1.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Yes, Pam?

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

That means we won't be starting on economic security until the end of March, then?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

No. We do start that the following week, the week of February 26 or 27.

[The Clerk]

What we can do is that the first hour we can have the minister, and the second hour we can start the consideration of the draft report.

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

That would be on the 27th.

[The Clerk]

It would be on the 1st.

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

It would be on the 1st, and then we're not sitting on the 27th.

That still means that on the 1st we have one hour for the report, and then we won't get back to the report until March 20.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

That's correct, because we have three weeks off.

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

Okay.

We normally invite her, so I don't think we have much choice, just in terms of the numbers of weeks we have off, right?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Yes; unfortunately, the way the calendar is scheduled, we don't have lots of options.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

We can invite her and see if she's available.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

As someone mentioned, it's also based on her availability too. That's going to be something to consider. I just want consensus to go ahead and invite her.

[Some hon. members]

Yes.