Evidence of meeting #22 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 communities.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
If you don't mind, Lisa, just because we are so tight on time, I will pass it over to Francis, our next questioner. Perhaps he can work that in with some of his questions.
Francis, I'll give you the last five minutes. Perhaps you can work with Lisa in making sure we get that answered.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Would Lisa like to take some of my time to complete her answer?
Director General, Research, Results and Delivery Branch, Department for Women and Gender Equality
That is very kind. Thank you.
I was just going to say that if we take a look at the impacts that the member has mentioned in terms of mental health and sexual health, and the impacts of sexual violence on indigenous women and girls in the resource extraction industry, it all comes down to culture.
We have some data in terms of giving us a sense of what that culture is. In fact, from some of the studies of indigenous and racialized women in mining camps, three-quarters of the women working in these industries have experienced discrimination: gender-based discrimination and discrimination based on indigeneity or sexual orientation.
Therefore, culture, shifting culture, needs to be at the heart of the response.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Thank you.
It's a pleasure to be here today. I find this discussion extremely interesting. I'm substituting for another member, so if I ask a question that is repetitive, please forgive me.
Minister Miller, my first question may be difficult to answer. It's a bit tangential, but I'll give it a go. I remember at the time of the Impact Assessment Agency law, the law for the first time specified that impact assessments must consider social impacts, not just economic and environmental impacts. There was criticism of that, because many said you should focus on narrow environmental issues and economic issues. I believe impact assessments now need to focus on the social impacts of resource projects.
My question to you is this. Have you seen evidence that this new factor that must be taken into account is filtering into the changes that are required to keep people safe in these resource communities? In other words, on some of the measures that you're talking about today, would these measures have occurred independently of the Impact Assessment Agency, or are some of them a response to the impact of the environmental assessment process?
Again, it's a bit of a tangential question. There may not be a clear answer, in which case I'll go to my next question.
Liberal
Marc Miller Liberal Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC
I'd say it's a little bit of both. The reality, unless someone corrects me, is that the extraction industry is one of the largest, if not the largest, employers of indigenous peoples in this country, but it's been done in a way that has been, in a sense, good for economic development in communities but also opportunistic in some senses. The full impact of that on communities, as was described in the final report on missing and murdered indigenous women, is that it has required regulatory ways of reshaping things but also culture shifts, which governments are singularly bad at doing themselves. It requires society to get involved. It requires companies and private industry to buy into it. That is a process that has naturally been slower.
I believe that these outcomes and changes need a little bit of pushing and prodding, a bit of carrot and a bit of stick. That is, I think, the reality of human nature.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
The new environmental impact assessment law may be having a positive impact, but at the same time, on another track, things are developing in that positive direction.
Liberal
Marc Miller Liberal Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC
We used to flood communities without thinking about them. Historically, there is a large stain that exists on these large projects, however favourably we envision them as a matter of economic development or whatever they have done for our country, but they have sometimes been on the backs of indigenous peoples. This is just a particular iteration of it and how it's impacted the most vulnerable.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
My next question is in regard to human trafficking. You mentioned human trafficking—or someone mentioned human trafficking—in some of these resource communities.
I understand the dynamics of violence in a heavily male community with a male ethic, colonial attitudes and substance abuse. I understand how that comes about, but when we talk about human trafficking, I think it's something more systematic and premeditated.
Are there networks that infiltrate these communities and prey on them, that somehow infiltrate them to conduct human trafficking as opposed to the more spontaneous violence that occurs in a male-dominated community with substance abuse and certain attitudes? Are networks targeting these resource communities for the purpose of human trafficking?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
We are out of time now, but this is such an important matter for all that I'm going to provide 30 seconds to both Ms. Ien and Mr. Miller.
Marc, you can take it over for the next 30 seconds and then pass it over to Marci.
Liberal
Marc Miller Liberal Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair
The clear answer is yes, but not only in extraction industries. During the wildfires and during some of the flooding evacuations, where there was a flooding and communities were evacuated to Winnipeg, there was sex trafficking. We had to fund a number of communities to go and provide perimeter security in Winnipeg to keep pimps from going in and exploiting the vulnerable. It happened as well as in Cornwall, when we evacuated a community into Cornwall.
The risk of transborder sex trafficking is real and present. They focus right in and exploit what they usually do, which is the vulnerable. That is everywhere, and we can't be blind to it.
Conservative
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Madam Chair, thank you so much.
I would just point out that the national strategy to combat human trafficking is led by Public Safety Canada. It brings together all our federal efforts under one strategic framework. It's supported by an investment of more than $57 million over five years and $10.28 million ongoing.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you so much.
We will now wrap up our first panel for today.
On behalf of the committee, I would really like to thank Minister Miller and his department for being here and providing testimony today.
We're going to suspend for about 30 seconds. We have another person to put online, and we'll say goodbye to those who don't need to be with us for the second panel. We'll suspend for 30 seconds and come right back.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you very much. We will reconvene. This is our second panel, and we will be focusing on the main estimates.
Pursuant to the order of reference on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, the committee will begin its study on the main estimates for 2022-23.
I welcome our witnesses. We have Minister Ien, who is continuing on with this panel today. Thank you very much, Minister Ien.
From the Department for Women and Gender Equality, we have Alia Butt, assistant deputy minister, strategic policy; Gina Wilson, deputy minister; Gail Mitchell, assistant deputy minister, departmental programs and operations; and Lisa Smylie, director general, research, results and delivery branch.
I will provide five minutes to the minister to provide her opening statement. Then we will go into the round of questions.
Minister Ien, you have five minutes. Your time starts now.
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Hello again, Madam Chair and honourable members.
I'd like to acknowledge that I'm speaking to you from my home in Toronto on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the New Credit, the Anishinabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat people.
I am happy to be with you here today to highlight my department's priorities, planned results and associated resource requirements for the upcoming fiscal year. My department will be receiving $310.3 million via the main estimates with $245.2 million in grants and contributions to support our continuing work.
As Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, I regularly meet with and learn from extraordinary people and organizations committed to building a stronger and more prosperous Canada. With my provincial and territorial counterparts, I share these insights on best practices on how we can address intersectional and regional inequalities in our country.
Through these conversations, it is clear that there isn't a woman, girl or gender-diverse person in our country whose lives haven't been impacted at some point by gender inequality. This isn't news for anyone in this room. We know this. Discrimination and systemic inequalities remain an issue in Canada, particularly for racialized and under-represented women, girls, LGBTQ and gender-diverse people, to the detriment of us all.
I believe, and I know that this vision is shared here today, that everyone should have an equal chance to fully participate in Canada's social, economic and democratic life regardless of their gender identity, expression or sexual orientation. I dream of a Canada where every child grows up not only believing but also witnessing that this is possible.
We remain deeply committed to working in close collaboration with provinces, territories, indigenous partners and civil society stakeholders to prevent and address gender-based violence and human trafficking, which we know are two of the most significant barriers to gender equality in Canada. Budget 2021 committed $601.3 million over five years to advance towards a new national action plan to end gender-based violence. Of this, $415 million went to Women and Gender Equality Canada.
Budget 2022 proposes to invest a further $539.3 million over five years to further advance the national action plan. This investment will allow provinces and territories to supplement and enhance services and supports within their jurisdictions to prevent GBV and support victims and survivors.
We've also sustained our commitment to gender-based analysis plus, also known as GBA+. This analytical tool helps make sure that budget and policy decisions are evidence-based, that they contribute to greater equality and that initiatives funded through the budget process respond to the needs of diverse people.
We're also taking concrete action to advance equality and protect LGBTQ2 rights. Many LGBTQ2 people in Canada continue to face significant barriers, including negative mental health impacts, homelessness, under-employment, harassment, bullying and violence. We know that these challenges are further amplified for LGBTQ2 people with intersecting lived experiences, including indigenous, Black and racialized people, as well as people with disabilities. Budget 2022 proposes $100 million to be invested over five years to implement the first-ever federal LGBTQ action plan, which will be designed to support a fairer and more equal future for LGBTQ people in our country. This also includes seeking out projects and initiatives that address the unique needs of LGBTQ2 communities through LGBTQ2 projects fund and the capacity fund.
We are also addressing period poverty in Canada because we know too many women, girls, trans and non-binary people can't afford menstrual products. This lack of access paired with period shame and stigma makes it hard for people to fully participate in public life. Menstrual products are a basic necessity and essential to sexual and reproductive health and rights. It's for these reasons we will be working with federal partners to begin developing a menstrual equity fund to provide period products to those in need. Budget 2022 commits $25 million over two years to begin a national pilot project. I have tasked my parliamentary secretary, Jenna Sudds, who has my full confidence, to lead this important work.
Madam Chair, this new funding builds on historic investments towards building a strong and vibrant women's and equality-seeking movement. It is not new, though. Our government has provided more than $475 million to organizations to ensure that everyone can participate fully in Canadian society.
Thank you so much, Madam Chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you very much.
We're going start our first round.
I just want to let everybody know that Minister Ien does have a hard line at three o'clock and, unfortunately, we did start late today. I'm going to ask that questions specifically for the minister be asked in the first round and then as we're doing the second round, we'll really focus more on the departments so that Minister Ien can be on her way. I know how busy her schedule is.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Minister Ien has to leave at three o'clock, so I'm just going to focus on everything we can do with Minister Ien until three o'clock.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Okay, I'm going to pass it over now to Shelby.
You have six minutes.
