Status of Women Committee on March 20th, 2018

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Excellent. Thank you very much.

Now we have time for Rachael Harder.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you.

Minister, your government recently announced a policy to welcome members of ISIS to return to Canada and find refuge here despite the fact that these ISIS terrorists have not renounced their acts of genocide, torture, or terrorism. The Prime Minister said that these ISIS members would be an “extraordinarily powerful voice for preventing radicalization in future generations and younger people within the community”.

Meanwhile, Ralph Goodale, the public safety minister, said, “Once a person has been in a war zone, once they’ve been actively engaged in terrorist-related activities, the capacity to turn them around is pretty remote”.

Minister, as the Minister of Status of Women, I'm wondering which framework you agree with. Do you agree with the public safety minister that the ISIS terrorists returning to Canada are a threat, or do you believe that the Prime Minister is correct in saying that these terrorists who are returning to Canada are, in fact, a strong voice that could empower young Canadians?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

That's an interesting question. I think we can all agree that the safety of Canadians is our number one priority. No one in this room, indeed no one in the Parliament of Canada, supports terrorism. We will continue to be committed to that work.

We also heard today in question period from the Minister of Public Safety that over the decade the Conservatives were in power there was a significant cut to Public Safety and the ability to deport those who should not be in the country. Significant investments are being made to ensure that the right approach around restorative justice is taken—

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Minister, with all due respect, that didn't answer my question. We certainly did a great deal as a government, and we certainly did not bring ISIS terrorists back into Canada and claim to reintegrate them and use them as a great voice on behalf of young Canadians.

I've had an opportunity to visit refugee camps in northern Iraq and Jordan, which is a part of the world where many of these ISIS terrorists are active, and I've talked with women and girls who have actually faced incredible atrocities at the hands of these men. Many women and girls who were victims of the brutal atrocities that were committed against them now call Canada home. We've welcomed them and provided a place of safety, or at least that would be my intent if I were in government. I'm deeply concerned about how these survivors are coping with the fact that the same country they now call home is serving as a place of refuge for the men who actually brutalized them.

In your opening remarks, you said it was important “to extend the reach of GBA”. Minister, my question for you is very simple. Was GBA+ applied to the decision to welcome ISIS fighters back into Canada and to use them as a voice to influence young Canadians from coast to coast? If the analysis was, in fact, done, then my question for you, on behalf of all Canadians, and in particular on behalf of these women and girls who have been brutalized by these men—

Sorry, are you smirking at that, at the fact that I'm speaking out on behalf of these women and girls?

No? Okay, my question is: did the analysis account for the trauma and fear that this decision caused the women and girls who have fled from Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and other countries across the Middle East where these ISIS fighters were active?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Deradicalization is an important effort that our government will continue to be committed to, because safer communities are better for all Canadians. Welcoming those who have escaped oppression and war, like those whom Rachael mentioned, is and has been from the very beginning an important part of our government's efforts. Whether it's been the welcoming and ensuring the settlement of Syrian refugees from places like Jordan and Lebanon or the welcoming of those Yazidi women and girls into our communities, these are all examples of our commitment to ensuring that those who face oppression find a safe home here in Canada. We are also working to reduce the violence that happens internationally.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Maryam, I think it's clear that GBA+ was not utilized. You've made that very clear in your non-answer. Minister, in order to get to the bottom of this, I do believe that further study is required and therefore I am going to move my motion. I move:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study on the Government of Canada's decision to welcome ISIS fighters back to Canada, the trauma and stress this decision caused the women and girl refugees from Syria and Iraq who have settled in Canada, and the Gender-based Analysis that was used to support this decision; that the committee study this for four meetings, and that these meetings occur before June 2018; that the Committee report its findings with recommendations to the House; and, that the government provide a response to the recommendations made by the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

I'm sorry, but I'm going to check. That motion was already provided to us previously. Is that correct?

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

That is correct.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

The motion now takes precedence over the Qs and As. We're going to debate this motion.

Rachael, you have the floor.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you.

Madam Chair, as members of Parliament and leaders in our country, as champions of women's rights advocating for the most vulnerable among us, including specifically these women and girls who have faced these brutal atrocities at the hands of these men whom this government is welcoming into our country, it is incumbent upon this committee to study this issue and to understand whether or not proper analysis actually was done to ensure that these women and girls are being properly protected and that their needs are taken into account by this government.

I'm done.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Okay.

Are there any comments or questions on this?

Go ahead, Sheila.

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

I'm sympathetic to the safety need; however, we've already had our debate as a committee about what we're going to be studying next. The Conservatives chose not to file any suggestions for study by the deadline, and I feel that as a committee we've already made commitments that take us right up to the end of June, and actually into September and October of this year.

I will not be supporting the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Okay, Ms. Harder.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

I would just like to point out that that it's interesting to me, because the deadline Ms. Malcolmson refers to was actually a deadline that was just self-imposed upon this committee. There is no such thing as a deadline.

We are welcome to bring forward motions at any point in time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

That is correct.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

In fact, that is the purpose of this committee, to find those issues that matter most to Canadian women. If we restrict ourselves to a deadline, then what we're saying is that we're actually more concerned about our needs and our timelines than about the needs of women across this country.

Sorry, but with all due respect, there is no deadline, and I certainly have the freedom, I would hope, anyway, to bring forward a motion and gain the respectful support of this committee. More importantly, this motion is about these women and girls who live in this country and who have found refuge here. I have sat with these women and these girls and listened to their stories. I have seen the scars of conflict on their bodies, and they deserve that this committee look into this and to understand what the repercussions are of bringing these ISIS terrorists back into Canada.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

As the chair I just want to make a clarification as well. There is not actually a deadline. The deadline that was imposed by the chair was for the fact that in previous sessions, we've had up to 30 motions, and we're just trying to be most efficient in recognizing that there needed to be a third study.

That is why this deadline is actually an asterisk, because it's called the “Karen Vecchio deadline”. It's not something that's real, and that was for....

Ms. Damoff.

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

In terms of the next study that we're doing, we did make a decision to do that. In terms of the returning ISIS fighters, that has been going on long before we came to office and—

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

[Inaudible--Editor]

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

I have the floor right now. Thank you, Ms. Harder.

It was happening under previous governments. I certainly don't see any urgency to be studying this. I think what we're doing right now as the status of women committee is important. I also think we have to be mindful of the time here, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Yes, absolutely.

Ms. Harder.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

I would like to correct the record since this meeting is being televised and Ms. Damoff just said that the previous government started this initiative. That's certainly not the case, and I welcome the Canadian public to look into that.

In fact, we took a direct stance against terrorism and would never have sign off on allowing ISIS terrorists back into this country and to somehow reintegrating them, and, according to the Prime Minister, use them as an effective voice on behalf of young Canadians to help this country. To suggest something like that is absolutely horrendous.

At the end of the day I'm not interested in engaging in petty remarks with you. I am interested, however, in studying the implications of this decision by the Liberal government and how drastically it will impact the lives of these women with the trauma and fear they have already undergone.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Ms. Damoff.

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

Just quickly, as a member of the public safety committee and as a proud member of this government and the very strong stand we've taken against terrorism, I just want to make sure that this is on the record as well. That's all I have to say.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

With no further comment, I see that Ms. Jordan has recommended it's a good idea to vote.

Is this just a regular vote?