Status of Women Committee on June 15th, 2021

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

Thank you so much, MP Dhillon.

To date, as part of our emergency response, we've supported more than 250 organizations in Quebec offering emergency gender-based violence supports with more than $17 million, and that's before budget 2021.

What budget 2021 offers with $601 million for a range of GBV programming is another down payment on the response to ending gender-based violence and providing supports [Technical difficulty—Editor] ways of ensuring that young men and boys, particularly, are healing and that they're part of the solution in [Technical difficulty—Editor] for human trafficking-related programs and capacity building.

There are even core funding supports for GBV organizations as well as a secretariat to coordinate the work with provinces, territories, indigenous partners, municipalities, civil society organizations and the federal government. Also, there are statistics, additional data, that we'll be banking and harnessing, as well as community-based research.

This budget is an important tool and an important step forward in our collective national fight to end gender-based violence.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Thank you very much.

Ms. Larouche, the floor is yours for six minutes.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Madam Minister, thank you for joining us on this day that affects me greatly as a Quebec woman. We are now up to our 13th femicide in Quebec. The figure turns our stomachs. That is the context in which we are meeting with you today, Madam Minister.

I understand that you have come to talk to us about matters such as the action plan to end gender-based violence. But the problem remains. Is it not time to review the strategy a little or to speed up the process?

Recently, I was in discussions with officials from Quebec's Department of Public Security and the Secrétariat à la condition féminine, in Quebec also, about the femicide issue. For them, one essential question remains: how much money goes directly to organizations? Quebec would like to know what the plan is.

Exactly how much money is going to go directly to organizations in Quebec?

There is money for coordination, prevention, statistics and studies, but how much money will go into the trenches, because that is where things are playing out? Implementing the strategy is fraught with delay, and unfortunately, women are still dying.

My condolences go to the loved ones of this 13th victim.

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

On behalf of the Government of Canada, on behalf of the Prime Minister, we extend our condolences to families and loved ones grieving deaths that are entirely preventable—entirely preventable.

It wasn't too long ago, Madam Larouche, when all of us, as MPs, were in the House of Commons for an emergency debate. The numbers were a lot lower, but the pain was just as intense and the deaths just as preventable when we debated, for the first time in the House of Commons, gender-based violence as an emergency issue. My team and I took notes, and actually what you see in the budget is an acceleration in the pace of the response and a significant investment from the federal government to move forward.

As you pointed out, there are 132 sexual assault centres and non-indigenous shelters that have received federal funding over this past year, and there are 113 gender-based violence service organizations and seven indigenous off-reserve shelters that have received emergency supports. Moving forward, we are in regular conversation with our colleagues in Quebec and in other provinces to make sure these dollars get to the front lines quickly and that there's no lag in the time it takes for organizations in Quebec to receive funding compared to everybody else in the country.

Madam Chair, I am always open to ideas on how to improve the efficiency and the effectiveness, as well as the equity, in these programs. If colleagues want to reach out to me with their input, please do. I'm happy to take that call and happy to be part of this work.

I assure you, however, that just like you, I am haunted by every single death, by every single headline. Those are just the ones we know of. There are women sleeping in their cars right now because they have nowhere else to go. There are women staying in abusive relationships because they don't know there are other places they can go. There are women trapped in harmful circumstances because of poverty. That is the work we can all do together to move forward and create more choice and opportunity for women and non-binary folks in this country.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Madam Minister, I wanted to ask you some other questions and I was trying to signal to you.

First of all, during the emergency debate, I pointed out that, last time, there had been a difference of six months between Quebec and the other provinces in terms of signing the bilateral agreements. For me, efficiency means speeding up the signing of bilateral agreements when it is high time to transfer the money. Quebec wants to put that money to use and has the ability and the jurisdiction to do so.

The Department of Public Security and the Secrétariat à la condition féminine are asking for the signing of the bilateral agreements to be speeded up. If we are to be effective, we must also avoid duplications. There is an action plan to end gender-based violence, and there is a federal gender-based violence strategy.

What is the difference between the two?

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

The federal strategy that Patty Hajdu brought into effect back in 2017, because of her work, was the first time the federal government was coordinating its efforts and investing significantly in gender-based violence. It gave us statistics and data we didn't have before.

This next phase is phase two of Canada's response to gender-based violence. It has three times as much funding, and of course we've built partnerships, programs and efficiencies that will scale up. If colleagues have input into how to move that work quickly forward, particularly in Quebec, that's a priority for me too and I'm all ears.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Thank you.

Now we'll go to Ms. Mathyssen for six minutes.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister Monsef.

When you came to London last weekend, it was greatly appreciated by the community and certainly by me. One of the things my community has been asking for out of all of this tragedy is action. It's something that I certainly have been asking for as well. I am grateful that you were listening and mentioned core funding. That certainly warms my heart. I will be watching carefully and working with you to move that forward for all those organizations that provide that incredible support to our communities.

With respect to that, one thing that is required.... You, of course, as the minister responsible for women, sit at the cabinet table to represent women and we've heard from you often at this committee about a lot of things, programs and departments that impact women but don't fall under your jurisdiction. We've talked about missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. We've talked about pay equity legislation. Today we're talking about defence and how that's referred to others. However, you have that seat at the table.

With respect to murdered and missing indigenous women and girls, a national action plan was technically released; however, there were no financials attached to it and no timeline. Could you speak to when people in this country, and indigenous women in particular, can expect to see those timelines and that money attached?

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

MP Mathyssen, thank you for your leadership to your community in these very difficult times. If I have time, I will talk about Islamophobia.

Let me talk to your question about MMIWG first. Regarding the funding attached to it, there is $2.2 billion in budget 2021 that we hope will pass in the upcoming vote. Those funds start flowing this year, in 2021, so that work will move forward with culture being at the heart of the work and survivors being at the heart of the work.

The plan we put forward a few weeks ago is like no other plan in the world. We're doing something that hasn't been done quite like this before, with families and survivors at the centre. Of course, we've learned from other colleagues in countries like New Zealand, but Canada is moving forward. As we all know, time is up on this.

We're not building from scratch either. We've invested significantly in relationships with partners on the ground and we will move forward in a good way so that, through this national tragedy, we're able to change the story.

I'm happy to provide more information if there's a follow-up about the MMIWG plan.

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

There is, absolutely—

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

Would you like me to respond to what we're doing on Islamophobia?

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

Maybe in a little bit. It absolutely is important.

I want to specifically ask this. You said “in 2021” and of course, there is a crass realization that we may be in an election, so are you waiting for those funds until after the next election or will you be providing them before?

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

As my officials know, I am working very hard with our colleagues across government departments to make sure that once, God willing, we get that vote, and it's a positive vote, those funds are released as quickly as possible.

MP Mathyssen, as you know, this isn't the first time we're funding indigenous supports and indigenous innovation. We're building on investments we've already made in women-serving organizations, and we'll continue to take our lead from them. The answer is, as quickly as possible, we intend to ensure these funds build on existing investments, because there is a lot of work to do and there is not a lot of time to waste.

I also will add that we're moving forward to address the cellphone gaps along the Highway of Tears with $50 million that has already been released. We have already moved forward with one project in B.C. to ensure the entirety of the highway is connected with more indigenous communities, and cell-gap projects are under way as we speak. The work is happening. Budget 2021 investments build on it and we'll move forward very quickly to roll those dollars out as quickly, as effectively and as equitably as we can.

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

In terms of pay equity legislation, the last time we talked about this, you referred us to the Minister of Labour. We heard from the Minister of Labour and it seemed as though those regulations were going to pass quickly. However, we're still waiting. It has been at least six months since the last promise of those regulations being put forward.

Having sat at the cabinet table and discussed this, pushing the agenda, of course, and ensuring that women don't have to wait any longer for pay equity than they should, to actually start that process—because, as you know, they could wait up to eight or nine more years for actual pay equity to be implemented—do you know when those regulations will be put through?

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

Madam Chair, they come into effect this year.

I agree with my colleague. This recommendation was in the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada report 50 years ago. We're moving forward, as you heard from Minister Tassi.

The commissioner will be officially in place. Karen Jensen is the first pay equity commissioner in Canada. The pay equity regulations were pre-published in part I of the Canada Gazette back in November. They were there until June. Once finalized, the regulations will complement the act and allow the regime to be brought into force later this year.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

That's very good.

Now we're going into our second round of questions, beginning with Ms. Wong for five minutes.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond Centre, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the minister for coming to this meeting so that we can listen to the update from the government. My questions are many.

First of all, I'd like to let you know that we're all very proud of our place of origin. I am, and I hope you are. As time goes on, there's a lot of violence against women, especially Asian women, and not much has been done by the government. I brought it up in question period, but there's no definite answer about actions.

We talk about shelters. Again, in the Lower Mainland, especially in my city of Richmond, women are crying for help because they want to get into the shelters, and of course, the shelters are crying for money. You may have beautiful plans, but if the money doesn't go directly to the organizations in need, there's little....

Then there's the alienation of the western provinces. You can see a lot of money being pumped into other provinces but not to the western provinces.

I have so many questions. I hope that you can briefly answer all these questions instead of just giving us a speech of your own.

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

Thank you, MP Wong.

I'll try not to give you a speech of my own but use my words to tell you that, first of all, there's additional funding for housing, shelters and transition homes in budget 2021. I hope colleagues will support it. We're directly delivering funds to the front lines in ways we've not done before, in the fastest, most efficient way. We've cut red tape and we're going to continue with that approach.

On the place of origin and anti-Asian hate, let me say to my colleague that, first of all, no, I wasn't always proud of my origin. Post 9/11, being a high schooler, I faced, as many did across the country and around the world, a certain level of hate and demonization that continued to build up and it did affect my cultural identity. It took a long time for me to feel secure in that personal cultural identity. I see the anti-Asian hate and other forms of hate rampant right now and I'm alarmed because there are young people who are going to grow up uncomfortable and insecure in their own skin. We can do something about that.

I also will say to my colleague that the $100-million feminist response and recovery fund will be announcing the recipients of that investment soon. My team and I have taken special care to ensure that Black, indigenous and racialized folks who are disproportionately affected by violence also receive a disproportionately high level of the funds to build capacity at the community level, and regional and national levels.

If my colleague has organizations that she thinks are doing great work and that we have to keep an eye out for, for proposals or otherwise, please reach out. I would love to hear from her.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond Centre, BC]

Thank you, Minister.

My next question is about seniors.

Elder abuse is on the rise, especially during COVID times. Many of these elderly people are women. Again, I asked the same question, and again, nothing has been done.

Would you like to tell all of us what you are going to do to help our poor seniors who are under such threat of being abused?

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

Madam Chair, first, I disagree with an assertion at this table that nothing has been done. Actually, more has been done by this government than by any government before, but it is not enough. We have to do more. Centuries of misogyny, hate, racism, sexism and colonialism don't undo themselves in five or six years, and with the reckoning happening all around us, we are accelerating the pace of progress.

Today is a day to acknowledge elder abuse; absolutely it is. What we've seen during the pandemic—one of the hardest lessons and one of the most shameful experiences—is our elders experiencing neglect, abuse and such undignified care, and those who care for them are not being treated properly.

We have partnered with organizations that are working to address and prevent elder abuse across the country. My colleague, Deb Schulte, the Minister of Seniors, is particularly outspoken on this.

Again, if there are organizations in your communities that are doing important work and need that additional support, please reach out to my team and me because we'd love to partner with them.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Very good.

Now we'll go to Ms. Sidhu for five minutes.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister, and thank you to your team for being with us today.

I want to reflect on what you said in your opening statement on the attack in London.

Minister, last night I joined the vigil in my community in Brampton. I saw many women from all communities looking for allies in the government. I know you're working very hard for them, and you have been working throughout the pandemic. This pandemic has highlighted some inequities in society. I want to ask you about how these are being addressed in budget 2021.

Minister, since the last time you appeared at committee, budget 2021 has been tabled. Can you expand on how that investment from budget 2021 will directly respond to the needs of women or gender-diverse folks and equality?

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

Thank you so much, MP Sidhu, for your leadership on this committee and on the health committee. From young leaders in my community who live with diabetes and who have come to the Hill many times to advocate for government supports, let me say a huge thank you. You've shown these kids that they don't have to wait to grow up to lead, that they can be part of the democratic process long before they turn 18. You're delivering for them. I appreciate that, MP Sidhu.

As for the lessons of COVID, as Patty Hajdu has said, this virus sneaks into the cracks in our system; it flares up and we have an opportunity to build back better systems while looking out for those who have been hardest hit by COVID. Budget 2021 offers us tools to do that, to create a million jobs, to put COVID behind us, and to grow our economy by focusing specifically on those who have been hardest hit. I am talking about those on the front lines of COVID, those in the tourism sector and in small businesses, young people, women and those in isolated and really small and rural communities as well.

One of the ways we are doing that is by investing in high-speed Internet. Isolation is made that much more difficult when you don't have access to this essential service. Thanks to Gudie Hutchings and our rural caucus, we're moving forward and implementing Canada's single-largest investment in broadband. I'm grateful to communities for their uptake. By the end of this year, hundreds of thousands of households will have access to this essential service. They didn't have it when we first formed government.

There are also, as I mentioned, supports for housing and shelters. We're collecting data and disaggregated data, and we are building for the first time a data strategy with partners at StatsCan.

Following up on MP Wong's point about seniors, in addition to providing income supports, you know that we're contributing $9 million to the United Way so they can continue to support local senior-serving organizations. We're working to keep seniors at home because they have that preference, and aging in place has been seen as a best practice. There are additional funds for community-based organizations to provide them those wraparound supports. There is, as I've said, more than $3 billion for GBV. There are investments for skills development and training for those who have to skill up on the other side of COVID. There are some 215,000 training opportunities for young people. We're providing employers with a top-up. We're increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. We're ensuring that the working poor have a top-up, a living wage, so they can respond to the costs of living and to the needs of their communities in meaningful ways.

I sincerely hope, Madam Chair, that colleagues will vote in favour of this historic budget, and that they will also ensure that we move forward with universal early learning and child care.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

Budget 2021 has set aside specific funding allocation towards programming for men and boys. I believe this is the first time we are prioritizing this group in the work of preventing and addressing gender-based violence.

Could you speak to why this grew to be such a significant priority in the work you do?

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

We worked with Mr. Terry Duguid, who was my parliamentary secretary for a time and built a framework to support men and boys in the work to address and prevent gender-based violence.

The new investments in budget 2021 expand on the work we've already done and allow us the opportunities to build systems and networks of organizations that are feminist in their approach and support men and boys as they help other men and boys heal and become champions for equity and change.