Evidence of meeting #18 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 judges.
A recording is available from Parliament.
2:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thanks so much. I'm just trying to get everybody in.
I'm going to pass it over to Andréanne. You have two and a half minutes.
2:45 p.m.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
I'd like to come back to the question of enforcement, because there are a few of us—you're not alone, Ms. Vien—who find it unclear.
Ms. Moor, you have just opened the door to what is happening abroad. Quebec is in the process of implementing the monitoring bracelet system. Measures are being taken in other countries.
If the Department of Justice feels that it does not have the means to properly measure the effects of this bracelet on victims, could it look to other countries for inspiration? It could look to countries such as Australia, which you named, Spain, and the United Kingdom, so that it can get feedback on what it is lacking. In this way, it could better understand the effects of this measure on victims and properly evaluate them.
So I would like to hear from you again on the subject.
2:50 p.m.
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law and Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
My answer to your question was perhaps too technical. I was trying to talk about how the research would be conducted.
The Department of Justice will certainly review the information and decisions that will be reported from the courts in collaboration with the provinces and territories.
It is not that the department is not interested in these issues. It needs to work with its federal, provincial and territorial partners to measure the success of these new tools.
2:50 p.m.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
We have discussed the issue of the monitoring bracelet. In this study, we explored in part the importance and possibility of criminalizing coercive control. Obviously, that's not in the bill, but have you started to study or consider that possibility? There is talk of including coercive control in judicial education, but are you considering criminalizing it?
2:50 p.m.
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law and Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
Perhaps we should separate the issues a bit. [Technical difficulty—Editor] We know that another committee in Parliament is doing a study on this. That report recommends that the Department of Justice work with the provinces and territories to do a study on this recommendation. I think the department would be in a better position, following this study that would be done in conjunction with the provinces and territories, to determine whether it would be necessary to have a new Criminal Code offence.
In terms of judicial training, I don't know that judicial training itself.... It's a different question as to whether or not a new offence of coercive control would be recommended. As my colleague [Technical difficulty—Editor]
2:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you so much.
We're now going to pass it over to Leah Gazan for two and a half minutes.
2:50 p.m.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Thank you so much, Chair, and thank you for your time today.
I do have a bit of concern, because how we define things is really important in terms of this legislation. I caution because the onus is often placed on women—the jilted spouse, you know, and all the stereotypes—and then the judges, who mainly are all men, can take training or not. This is deeply troubling for me.
I have a question about policing. In our FEWO study on intimate partner violence, we were told that the use of electronic monitoring devices must come with training for police officers, and that police services should develop skills needed to respond to alarm signals as sent by the device.
What would need to be done to ensure that police officers across Canada are properly trained on how to respond to the signal sent by the devices and to ensure that the safety of survivors is guaranteed?
2:50 p.m.
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law and Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
Thank you for that important question. Unfortunately, I don't think it's one that either of us is in a position to answer.
2:50 p.m.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Okay. Do you know where we could get those answers? If we could get those answers, is it possible to get those answers in writing?
2:55 p.m.
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law and Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
The responsibility for policing falls with the Minister of Public Safety, not with the Department of Justice, so it would be possible to go through that department.
2:55 p.m.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Okay.
One of the questions I asked in the last round was about cellular service access for electronic devices in order to use electronic devices in remote areas. Studies around violence show that there are certain populations where it's more pronounced. I would say that indigenous women and girls and two-spirit people who live in remote areas won't be able to access this device. This bill is a very good start, but can you speak to the work being done in your department to ensure that all women, girls, and two-spirit people have equal access to justice?
2:55 p.m.
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law and Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
In terms of technological capacity, particularly in remote areas and the north, we do hear that access to justice is an issue. The Minister of Justice appeared on Bill S-4. When similar issues were raised, he spoke to the commitment that the Government of Canada has made to bring the court system and protective services in relation to that into the 21st century. He added that the Government of Canada has been making investments to connect 98% of Canadians across the country to high-speed Internet by 2026, and all Canadians by 2030.
I know that the question of high-speed Internet is—
2:55 p.m.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Sorry. It's just because I have limited time.
How much progress has been made?
2:55 p.m.
Conservative
2:55 p.m.
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law and Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
Unfortunately, that's outside my area of expertise in terms of where we're at with digital connection. I do know that it's an issue that the Government of Canada has identified as important to work on and has been trying to address.
2:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Perfect. Thank you so much.
I do see your hand up, Emmanuella. Is this to do with the panel right now or is it once I relieve the witnesses? It's that. Okay.
On behalf of the status of women committee, I would really like to thank the witnesses from the justice department for joining us today. You will now be able to sign off.
We have about three minutes of committee business here.
Emmanuella, I'll pass the floor over to you. Go ahead.
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Emmanuella Lambropoulos Liberal Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would like to give a verbal notice of a motion that I have sent to the clerk and that he'll be passing around to all members. I'd like to read the motion. Obviously, we won't have debate on it today, but I'd like to introduce it or at least give notice of it today.
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Emmanuella Lambropoulos Liberal Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you.
It reads as follows:
That the Standing Committee on the Status of Women report to the House that (a) access and availability to reproductive health services, no matter where one lives in Canada, including safe and legal abortion, is a charter right and is ensured under the Canada Health Act; and (b) the decision to have an abortion made by women, transgender and non-binary individuals, for any reason, is their freedom of choice and theirs alone.
2:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Fantastic. Thanks very much, Emmanuella, for putting that on notice.
As Emmanuella said, and looking at the time frame, we are not going to have debate on this. Let's be honest: We have two minutes and we have a really serious bill that we need to get to.
First of all, I need to get this budget passed. The budget is for a whopping $5,175. That is the total.
Can I get approval of the budget for this $5,175?
2:55 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
2:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Everybody approves.
We'll move on to another piece of business. This is something that just came out of this committee. The Judicial Council has said no to our invitation. This is what we've talked a lot about, the Canadian Judicial Council being independent. The Canadian Bar Association had asked to come, and I was thinking, “Well, that's kind of the same. It's the whole law thing.” They are now pulling out their request to appear because of the fact that they don't have enough time.
A name suggested as well is Dr. Peter Jaffe, if everybody remembers him on the intimate partner violence, but we also heard them talk about the judicial council institute. I just want to say to you guys that we need to figure out who we're having as the other panellists, because we've had a few different people. The judicial council institute is the one creating these programs. Are they willing to come?
Pam, do you have comments?