Status of Women Committee on March 1st, 2022

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Another question I have is that obviously this program is very necessary in these communities specifically. What are some of the things you can tell us about teen dating in indigenous communities that are some of the biggest problems that we should tackle and that we should be looking at when we're doing this report and making our recommendations?

[Angela Brass]

I think for them just to be able to recognize that it's wrong, and for stuff that we may have seen intergenerationally and that some of us may have been told to just brush under the rug, we have to use our voice and have to put a stop to it, because it is wrong.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Thank you very much.

Would any of the other witnesses like to chime in with regard to teens specifically? I know that you don't necessarily work with youth, but if you've done work with youth and have any additional comments to make, please do.

[Melanie Omeniho]

The only thing I would tell you is that this is the generation of communication. We need to really make sure that our young people are educated to be critical thinkers. As we can see, social media has its place and there are many benefits to it, but we always often see the negative aspects. We need to make sure that our youth are protected and safe.

I really do hope that the federal government starts looking at the development of legislation to protect young people from being vulnerable within the processes of the Internet and social media.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Thank you so much.

We're now going to go to Andréanne, for 90 seconds.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

As my time is three times 30 seconds, each witness will have 30 seconds to answer the following question.

What should we prioritize to find real solutions to intimate partner violence? Is it more funding, more culturally appropriate resources for indigenous realities, or more legislation to better address the issue of coercive control?

[Angie Hutchinson]

I would say prioritize all of them. We need stable, secure funding that's flexible, that allows us to be responsive to culturally based programming that's relevant to whatever distinct region or community that it lies within. There has to be a prioritization for legislative changes that really address those larger systemic factors to violence, as well, so prioritize all of them.

[Melanie Omeniho]

I would also agree. All three of them need to be changed. I don't think we can work on just one element and forget all the others. We need more funding and resources. We need more shelters for a second stage transitional [Inaudible—Editor]. There needs to be a lot more emphasis on even the laws that relate to partner violence or domestic violence in our communities. Very often, there's very little attention paid to what actually protects the victims of domestic violence.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Thank you so much.

We're going to go to Leah for the last 90 seconds.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Ms. Hutchinson, you have an addiction relapse program that uses a medicine wheel model as a framework for healing.

Can you explain that model? Can you also talk about why those kinds of culturally appropriate support systems are so critical in healing people who are struggling with addictions and are often rooted in trauma?

[Angie Hutchinson]

Absolutely. The connection between traumatic experiences and substance use is absolutely a big part. It takes a holistic understanding of an individual. Very often, many of the addiction treatments that are more western or mainstream really try to be piecemeal and separate the individual by treating the addiction like a specific physiological response. However, they fail to recognize the historical trauma, or they address mental health concerns before addressing the addiction.

The programming that we offer is rooted within indigenous ways of knowing and really understands that the individual exists as a whole person. We are able to address the mental, spiritual, emotional and physical wellness of the individual to assist in the healing journey.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Thank you so much.

Today has been just fantastic with the panellists. I'd really like to thank Angela, Angie, and Melanie for being here and being part of this great discussion as we're doing this study. Thank you very much.

To members of the committee, we have a bit of committee and administrative work to go through.

Jenna, I'm going to pass it to you. I know that we've had some discussions today. Did you want to put your motion forward?

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Kanata—Carleton, ON]

Yes, I apologize I wasn't able to be in person. I'm not sure if it's necessary. It was really just about the timing of the minister coming. You've discussed that in the room already.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

We won't put it forward in an official motion then, Jenna. We'll just have an overview of what we're looking at.

In the last 24 hours everybody should have received this document. It's basically a document put together by our wonderful analysts from the Library of Parliament. It indicates who has been put on our list or who we have seen and then in the last table—there are tables here—it indicates what some of the possible gaps are and who we have not heard from. Clare and Dominique have put some information here, too.

In table 2 it will show anybody who's remaining on your list who has not come, and then it also indicates who has been invited and who has said no, that they're not able to come.

We know there are some gaps here. Today we've had some great discussions, but we're probably.... Today I heard questions on teen dating and things like that, which are exactly to do with our motion.

I'm going to read the document that our clerk has put forward to me. Halfway through the study is where we're at right now. These gaps are there. I'm going to ask if every team can look at these lists and refocus on making sure that they're filling in these gaps and that they have a list back to the analysts for March 3 at 4 p.m. for any witnesses they think we would like to see.

I recognize that we're coming closer to the end, so if anyone wants to reach out and have some informal conversations, we can do that as well.

One of the biggest matters—Jenna, I'll talk about that right now—is when are we going to see the minister? I think it's kind of confirmed. We're going to be speaking to the minister on April 1, so that's going to be closing up near the end of our study. The clerk has been working to make sure that we can fill in all of those times.

There are a couple of different things that are coming up. We have the supplementary estimates that are due on March 23, and we also have the main estimates that have just come out as well. The supplementary estimates have been referred to the committee. I would suggest, with the agreement of the committee, and I would hope that we could all be good on this, that we forego the study of the supplementary estimates and just look at the main estimates that are also coming, because they're basically all coming to us at the same time. I suggest we use our time wisely. During that time, that's when we call in the officials from WAGE, and it gives us an opportunity to also speak to the minister on that.

Is there any discussion or concerns about our forfeiting that and then being able to look at the mains? Is everybody okay with that?

Anita, do you have something?

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

Just for clarification, if we're inviting the minister for the 1st, assuming that she's available, that would be part of this study, I thought, because that was part of the original motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

That is correct; it would be part of this. Usually what we'd have is the minister for one hour and then WAGE would be here for the second hour. But we've already had WAGE here. Instead of having that two hours specifically on the study, what we could do is separate it so that we have the minister for that one hour and have the support from her staff there, and then we can switch into the main estimates for the second half of that, if that's okay. Then we're not calling the same people back within days, and we have the minister here at that time as well.

Is there any discussion? Are we okay on that?

Go for it, Anita.

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

The mains aren't until May, I believe.

When are they due?

[A voice]

They're due on the 31st.

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

I think we could have her come for the study, and then we can look at another opportunity to have her before the end of May for the mains. It would be a little bit confusing to have both on the same day.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Okay, that's not a problem. That's absolutely fine.

Would we be looking at having another panel, then, for that day? Yes?

Okay, so what we'll do is try to fit in another panel, then, for that day. We'd have the minister for the one hour and put in a panel for three, if that's okay with everybody.

Do we get support from everybody on allowing the supplementary estimates to go through? Is that okay if it's reported back to the House? Are there any questions?

I see everyone is okay with that.

What we'll do is go back to the main estimates. We'll find a time that we can look at them, because I know we'll be starting our second study. We'll be doing drafts. We'll be doing all of these things, so we'll get that done. What we'll be looking at is that day.

Are there any other questions or concerns?

Leah, go ahead.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Very quickly, I know that there has been a lot of interest in rehabilitation for men. I have somebody who is a real champion. Mitch Bourbonniere brought his name up.

Is there room? Are you saying that we can offer up names?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

We should have those names in by Thursday night, and send me a quick note on that as well. Right now we do need to speak about those things. That's part of our study in terms of what we can look at, so please send those names forward, and we can look at that again.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Are there any other questions or concerns?

Go ahead, Michelle.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

To clarify, if we want to put forth more witness names for gaps that we want to fill, do we need to talk about it in committee here, or...?