Status of Women Committee on Feb. 13th, 2018

Evidence of meeting #89 for Status of Women in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was system.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Indigenous Women In The Federal Justice and Correctional Systems

Committee Business

MPs speaking

Emmanuella Lambropoulos

Eva Nassif

Rachael Thomas

Sean Fraser

Also speaking

Darlene Shackelly Executive Director, Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of British Columbia

Audra Andrews Union of Safety and Justice Employees

Lowell Carroll Manager of Calgary, Red Deer, and Siksika Legal Services Centre, Legal Aid Alberta, As an Individual

Claudie Paul Services Director, Regroupement des centres d'amitié autochtones du Québec inc.

Jacinthe Poulin Health and Social Services Advisor, Regroupement des centres d'amitié autochtones du Québec inc.

Marie-Claude Landry Chief Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission

Teresa Edwards Member of the Board of Directors, Indigenous Bar Association in Canada

Fiona Keith Senior Legal Counsel, Human Rights Protection Branch, Canadian Human Rights Commission

Clerk of the Committee Ms. Kenza Gamassi

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

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?

5:30 p.m.

Member of the Board of Directors, Indigenous Bar Association in Canada

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.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS

Thank you very much.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

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.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS

Do we have another meeting before that?

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio

Pardon me?

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS

Do we have a free slot?

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

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?

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

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

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS

No. I—

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

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.

February 13th, 2018 / 5:30 p.m.

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.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio

Yes, Pam?

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON

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

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio

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

5:30 p.m.

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.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON

That would be on the 27th.

5:30 p.m.

The Clerk

It would be on the 1st.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

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.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio

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

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

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?

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio

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

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

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

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

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.

5:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Yes.