Evidence of meeting #123 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 father.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Manager, Justice and Legislative Affairs, Humane Canada
Unequivocally, yes. It should not even be an issue.
At present, only 30% of shelters in Ontario and 20% across Canada currently have the sort of facilities where they can accommodate pets in the shelters with them.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I understand that it might be difficult sometimes. Pets behave differently. We know that. We still love our pets.
Do you think it would be productive to have, for example, a partnership between an animal shelter and a women's shelter, so if somebody is fleeing violence they have a safe place to put their pet? Could it be a coordinated effort?
Manager, Justice and Legislative Affairs, Humane Canada
Yes, and that's one of the things that Humane Canada has worked on over the past three years: building a safekeeping network among animal shelters within our membership as well as beyond that, so that they can partner with local violence shelters and offer foster homes or accommodations for the animals, and women and children can leave safely.
NDP
Manager, Justice and Legislative Affairs, Humane Canada
The project was funded by WAGE—Women and Gender Equality—for three years, but the project finished on March 31 of this year. We've been continuing to fundraise and to put some of our efforts towards that.
Manager, Justice and Legislative Affairs, Humane Canada
No. It was just the life of the project. It was three years.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
It was the life of the project. Thank you so much.
Witness 2, I first want to thank you for your courage in sharing your testimony. That's very difficult to do.
You spoke about family reunification camps. We've heard a lot about these family reunification camps. I have done a bit of my own reading on family reunification camps, especially in the States, and I'm growing more concerned. Even the film you were talking about—brown eyes, blue eyes—is not really an appropriate film to be showing kids in that situation, to be quite honest. It just seems highly inappropriate.
Do you think we need to get rid of family reunification camps, particularly camps out of the country?
As an Individual
Yes, absolutely. I think that would be a very productive step here. I think there should be limits placed on sending children outside of the country for these camps.
There should also be bans placed on the court's ability to order children to go to the ones in Canada, because this isn't just an out-of-Canada problem. There are ones here as well. The one my brother and I went to happens to be outside the country, but yes, I think those need to be gotten rid of for sure.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
From what I've heard, it seems a bit unreasonable that.... Speaking to Witness 1, I know that you had to foot the bill for reunification camps out of country. Were you given a choice at that time in the process to keep your kids in Canada, or was your only choice sending your kids to the United States?
As an Individual
Thank you for the question.
The non-preferred parent had recommended or requested the camp in the States. He had also requested another camp that takes place in Canada but has oversight from an umbrella organization that is running these camps in Canada and in the States.
I did counter with a program out of B.C. that didn't involve no-contact, custody reversal or a transport agent, but the courts favoured and ruled on his side. He did bring forth three witnesses from the U.S. to testify to support his narrative.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Were you given the option to suggest your own places to send your kids when the court made that order? Were you given the choice to put people on the table as well?
As an Individual
Prior to the court order, we had a 21-day trial, and during that time I did counter with another provider of reunification in B.C.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Was that provider of reunification taken into consideration at that time?
As an Individual
They were, yes, but in the end, the judge ruled for the non-preferred parent's option.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Is it not required that both parents agree on the place to send their child prior to the decision being made?
As an Individual
Absolutely not, and the judge knew that I was not in agreement with the no-contact order or custody reversal. She acknowledged that during our trial, and then ordered the exact opposite.
Conservative
October 7th, 2024 / 11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Anna Roberts Conservative King—Vaughan, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you to all the witnesses. From what I'm hearing, this whole system is broken, and we have a lot of work to do.
I'm going to go quickly because my time is limited.
I would like to speak to Ms. Dhillon.
Thank you for your courage. Thank you for speaking up not just for yourself and for your family, but for all the other victims.
I want to ask you a couple of questions, and I hope they are not too personal. Was this an arranged marriage?
