Status of Women Committee on July 31st, 2024

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

If we look at why we're here today, it was really prompted by new information that came from Stats Canada, which showed the increases in violence and the increases in crime. That's the whole reason for prompting this. I know there were some members, in particular the Liberal member who gave a five-minute partisan speech on how this wasn't important to be here today...but that's the whole reason we're here.

Sometimes issues emerge that are very important and very time-sensitive. I appreciate the fact that my colleagues put this together. This issue of violence against women, with the increases in crime and violence against women, is not something that can just sit until the House resumes in the fall. I appreciate that my colleagues worked on this.

Based on some of the comments made by Ms. Gazan at this committee, that this is an important topic that needs to be discussed more and that we need to hear from more witnesses, I do agree with that, and I think my colleagues agree with that. This is just a starting point for that. I think we do need to talk about this a lot more. Every day that passes.... When I heard the statistics the deputy chief gave of the violence that's occurring against women every day, it was very, very impactful. I thank him for being here today as well to give his experience on this.

Based on that, I would like to adjourn debate on the current motion so that we can move into the other motion that Ms. Ferreri would like to bring so that we can continue the discussion that seems to be very important to everyone who's at the committee today.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

I have a point of order, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Shelby Kramp-Neuman]

Andréanne, we do have a dilatory motion on the table. I'll entertain your thoughts quickly.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Everyone has spoken so far. So I will exercise my right to raise this point of order to denounce what happened at the Standing Committee on the Status of Women today.

I recently criticized, in a newspaper article, the fact that the party in power and the opposition are slinging mud at each other. I told journalists that I have seen various committees become political instead of advancing the causes they should be supporting.

I replaced someone on the Standing Committee on Health; that committee has become political. I replaced someone on the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security; that committee has become political. I replaced someone on the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development; that committee has become political. In the name of partisanship, we are no longer moving forward. Today, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women has done the same thing.

You have all fallen into the trap of politicizing the issue of violence against women. It's absolutely disappointing. Witnesses have left here crying. I've been here since I was elected in 2019, and I've never seen this before.

The Standing Committee on the Status of Women called an urgent meeting in 2020 to study the disproportionate effects of the pandemic on women. I came to work. I participated in those emergency meetings in 2020. I came back in 2022, in the middle of the summer, as the committee was meeting to study the situation of women in sport. Despite those hot issues, we managed to make progress.

I travelled to Ottawa today, and witnesses were crying as they left. I've never seen that, and I've never seen the committee operate in this way either.

I am extremely disappointed. The Standing Committee on the Status of Women used to boast that it was productive and that it did not play the partisan game or engage in mud-slinging. Until recently, I kept my fingers crossed and believed that my committee didn't do that.

Women must not be used as political pawns. But that is what is happening. So I wanted to denounce that and express myself, since everyone has done so. That's my point of order. I must denounce what happened today. There will be no winners today. Unfortunately, the big losers are all women who are victims of violence.

[The Chair, Conservative, Shelby Kramp-Neuman]

Thank you, Andréanne.

Indeed, I was gracious with the point of order.

We do have a dilatory motion on the table from Madam Gray to adjourn debate on that motion. At this point, we need to vote on the dilatory motion.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Madam Chair, could we be reminded of which motion we're speaking to, please?

[The Clerk]

The vote is on Mrs. Gray's dilatory motion, which is to adjourn debate on the motion moved by Ms. Vandenbeld.

(Motion negatived: nays 6; yeas 4)

[The Chair, Conservative, Shelby Kramp-Neuman]

We will continue debate on that motion.

Anna, please go ahead.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

I would like to get agreement to adjourn this meeting, because I don't think we're getting anywhere.

[The Chair, Conservative, Shelby Kramp-Neuman]

Is this a motion to adjourn?

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Shelby Kramp-Neuman]

Is there consensus in the room or do we need a vote?

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Yes, we'll adjourn.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Shelby Kramp-Neuman]

The meeting is adjourned.