Status of Women Committee on April 16th, 2024

Evidence of meeting #104 for Status of Women in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was police.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Red Dress Alert

MPs speaking

Emmanuella Lambropoulos

Marc Serré

Anna Roberts

Lisa Hepfner

Also speaking

Lori Campbell Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Engagement, University of Regina, As an Individual

Sheila North

Anita Olsen Harper As an Individual

Lorna Brown Executive Director, Tears to Hope Society

Denise Halfyard Assistant Director, Tears to Hope Society

1 p.m.

NDP

Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Thank you so much, Chair.

Mrs. Brown, you spoke about complicated relationships with police. I know the UN has noted a number of human rights violations that have been perpetrated by the RCMP within your territory, so I want to honour that.

My question is for you, Ms. Brown. You spoke about criteria, and the criteria for issuing an alert. I say that, because you shared information about a young girl who was held captive for four days.

My question in that case, was there an alert sent? Did anybody look for her? Can you expand on the need to put in place very clear criteria, especially with minors who are going missing?

1 p.m.

Executive Director, Tears to Hope Society

Lorna Brown

With that situation, I'm not aware that anybody.... Nothing has been really put in place. We're such a grassroots organization that I only heard about this in the community. The community member was a business owner who witnessed this.

There is nothing in place, so we're starting from the ground up to implement something that's going to keep these young girls safe.

1 p.m.

NDP

Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Would you say that, currently, many young people and women go missing without a trace, or a concern, in your area? I'm not talking about the community. I'm talking about authorities that are supposed to be there to protect us.

1 p.m.

Executive Director, Tears to Hope Society

Lorna Brown

There's really nothing in place. I know this for a fact from community workers who have tried to assist younger women and girls. There is nothing in place, and even when they do get reported missing, it's just not taken seriously.

1 p.m.

NDP

Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Is that the reason why it needs to have oversight, or whatever we want to call it? Does it need to happen for indigenous folks by indigenous folks within regional areas?

1 p.m.

Executive Director, Tears to Hope Society

Lorna Brown

Yes, 100%.

1 p.m.

NDP

Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Okay. Thank you.

1 p.m.

Liberal