Status of Women Committee on May 6th, 2021

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

I wanted to hear, actually, the end of that. I think I'll give my time for that, if you want to continue.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

You can continue, then, Angela. Thank you.

[Angela Recollet]

Thank you, Lindsay.

Again, this is not western and Crown governance, Crown policy does not hold the monopoly. We have a multicultural platform here. I see many women who come from very different territories in Shkaakaamikwe, which in the Anishinabe language means “Mother Earth”.

You all have your land that you are responsible for, that you retain. You've had the access to retain your language, your culture and your identity. We as indigenous people deserve those same rights. That is what I plead for, to ensure that when we're making decisions, they do not always reflect the Crown's and the government's way of systemically removing our indigenous right, our language, our culture and who we are as a people, but that they celebrate that we are the original peoples of these territories.

We don't own these lands. We're simple custodians. We deserve the same access that everybody on this panel has been given the right to.

I'll leave it there. Meegwetch.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Meegwetch.

Ms. Wolfe, you may have a final comment.

[Naomi Wolfe]

I just want to expand a little bit on what Angela was saying. Even just delivery of care and education in care need to be expanded. It needs to be an expanded model of midwifery care outside the confines of the limitations that provincial regulatory bodies put on it. The delivery of care in our northern communities needs to be reflective of the demographic of women who are there and of how midwives can provide that care. We need training and more collaborative care models and expanded scope so that we can improve the quality of care in our northern communities as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

I want to thank the witnesses for your testimony today as well as all the work you do to help women.

For the committee, I just want to let you know.... You had me look at the calendar with the analysts and the clerk to make sure that we could achieve all the things from our committee that we wanted to achieve. In order to do so, we have to add one meeting somewhere.

The options are that we could add a meeting next Monday night from 6:30 to 8:30, or we could add one in the break week in our normal slot, on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

I would ask for some advice about which you would prefer.

Ms. Hutchings.

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Did we look at adding an hour or two to the other meetings?

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

There was no flexibility to be able to extend any of the meetings. They're very tight. They wouldn't allow it.

These were the options they provided. Otherwise, we'd have to get rid of something on our list.

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Then I'll go for the Thursday of the constituency week, but it's up to the others. I'm flexible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Monsieur Serré.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Yes, I'm flexible, but if I had a choice, it would be Monday night versus Thursday.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Perhaps I could get a show of hands. How many would prefer the Monday night?

I think more people prefer the Monday night. We'll do it on the Monday night, May 10. There will be an extra meeting between 6:30 and 8:30.

I want to remind you as well that this Thursday's meeting is also from 6:30 to 8:30. I don't know why they want to run so late, but there you are.

Thank you for your time today. Is it the pleasure of the committee to adjourn?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Madam Chair, is that eastern time? I just want to make sure that we're all on the same—

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Yes. It's eastern standard time.

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Perfect.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

It's the pleasure of the committee to adjourn, so we will. I'll see you on Thursday.

Thank you.