Status of Women Committee on Feb. 5th, 2026

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

I believe that we need to be creative, enhance our tools and look at alternate ways of doing things. Law enforcement has been driving a lot of the work, and, as I said, the work of the Toronto Police Service is one example. I've had the privilege of meeting with many law enforcement agencies across Canada, and they're quite agile and creative in terms of the work they're doing.

[Marie-Gabrielle Ménard, Liberal, Hochelaga—Rosemont-Est, QC]

Mr. Larkin, you mentioned this, but I'd like to hear from the minister about it.

Every witness who came here to inform the committee talked about it, including Mr. Auger, the detective lieutenant from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal. We heard the same thing from the deputy chief of the Waterloo Regional Police Service and from detectives. Prevention is part of public safety.

Can you tell us more about your view of this method for protecting survivors of violence?

[Bryan Larkin]

Thank you.

It's a little bit unique from an RCMP perspective. As I alluded to, our geography and the land mass that we police are very different from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal and the Waterloo Regional Police Service. I know that service very well. They have an intimate partner violence prevention centre that focuses on upstream prevention, wraparound service and social services.

As I alluded to in my previous comments, one of the challenges in the work that we're doing is enhancing training. When RCMP cadets come out of Depot, they have a much more victim-centric, trauma-informed approach. Then, when we go into isolated communities, there's relationship building. The reflection of the community that we're providing services to is key because, obviously, prevention and upstream services, recreation and leisure are all factors in a healthy community. If we were also to focus on social determinants of health, we'd have a much healthier outcome that will reduce, quite frankly, the demand on policing.

I think that, as we look to strengthen section 810 and look at the work that this amazing committee is doing, we also have to look at other mechanisms around cultural sensitivities, cultural responses and social and health responses for a complete wraparound approach. This simply will not be resolved through policing, through public safety. It needs a much stronger approach. We certainly have a role to play.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Thank you.

Your time is up, Ms. Ménard.

Ms. Larouche, you now have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I have a couple of quick questions, Minister, so I'll try to be brief so that you can answer them as quickly as possible.

I'll go back to the regulations announced in March 2025. Women's groups, including the National Association of Women and the Law and PolySeSouvient, have been waiting for over two years for these measures to be implemented. Meanwhile, women and children continue to be murdered in their homes.

When will the regulations be strengthened? When will you speed things up?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

I would say, Madame Larouche, that we have brought forward new regulations. As you're aware, we have a March 2025 regulation that is now in effect, and another one from April 2025, and we're in the consultation stages on another. As soon as the consultation is complete, we will be able to implement those regulations.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Okay.

Now I'm going to talk about the principle of restraint.

Minister, do you believe that no one should be released on bail for domestic violence crimes? If not, should electronic monitoring be required in the most serious cases? These are potential solutions to look at in terms of the principle of restraint.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

With respect to bail, we have legislation that's now going through the House. I think the justice committee passed Bill C-14 yesterday, and it will be going to the House of Commons for debate and third reading. There are some very important measures there that strengthen bail and give greater authority for enforcement on bail as well.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

It seems that much remains to be studied, Minister. Groups such as PolySeSouvient are advocating for a ban on assault weapons. There was also a group of government experts who wanted to further study the issue of SKS rifles.

What do you say to the victims who are waiting to see what happens with these requests?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

A fair amount of work has been undertaken. We have a very divided issue, as you can appreciate. The comments from the two previous Conservative MPs speak to the toxic nature of this issue.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

I'm sorry, but that's your time.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

Notwithstanding that, we are moving forward—

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

I'm sorry, Minister.

We're going to move to Mr. Brock for five minutes. Thank you.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Minister, Deputy Minister, department officials, Deputy Commissioner, thank you for your attendance. Good afternoon.

Minister, you took exception to my colleague Ms. Vien's characterization of your communication with your tenant. You said, essentially, that it was taken out of context, without allowing her to continue that line of questioning.

I'm going to correct the record, and maybe refresh your memory, because I have a transcript.

You had a conversation with your tenant, and your tenant reminds you:

Tenant: But we're not the problem Gary.

Gary: I realize that.... [I]f I were to redo this from the beginning, like I'm picking up where it was left off.... Listen, I told you, if I were to redo this from scratch, I would have a very different approach to this.

Then he says:

Tenant: We're talking about Canada, it's a federal, it's not provincial.

Gary: I get it. Quebec is in a different place than other parts of Canada, right? And this is something that very much a big, big, big deal for many of the Quebec electorate that voted for us, right? And that's one of the major things. I think it's, I saw, I'm sure you've seen these articles where people said, you know, this is one of the things we should not execute, like as a change from Trudeau's policies, but we've made the decision to go ahead.

This was all political, Minister. This has nothing to do with public safety.

Law enforcement has consistently told you, from coast to coast to coast—and I would dare say, probably in private discussions with the RCMP, they have told you this—that the problem facing Canadians and victims, particularly women, is not lawful gun holders, but those criminals, those thugs, who have easy access to illegal, stolen firearms that are pouring into our country.

You knew that. You explained that to your tenant. Don't lecture my colleague for saying something out of context. This is something you said, and your points are well taken that this was a political manoeuvre. This is not going to make people safe.

Now, if I were talking to a victim, a woman in particular, who basically lived under a rock for the last 10 years and listened to your five-minute opening statement, she would awaken and she would say, “Wow! Am I ever blessed to live in one of the safest countries in the world, if not the safest.” But you know, Minister, statistically it does not bear that out.

Do you have a comment about the fact that your rhetoric does not match the statistics that have been growing literally every single year since the Liberals took power in 2015? What are you going to tell those victims?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

Let me first, at the outset, Mr. Brock, tell you that when I indicated that I would have done it differently, it did not mean I would have scrapped the program. I would have designed it differently. It's a very different set of facts that you are putting forward.

Having said that, look, there is a real issue of intimate partner violence in Canada. I'm not underplaying that. I recognize this. I've been to funerals. I've had people in my community who have died because of intimate partner violence. I continue to monitor and see the deep impact that intimate partner violence has in our society.

My responsibility, Mr. Brock, and our responsibility collectively, is to ensure the safety and security of Canadians, not rhetoric, so essentially—

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

Victims don't want—

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

If I may—

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

No, it is my time, Minister.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

Mr. Brock, you had quite a bit of time. Let me just finish.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

Minister, it is my time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Excuse me—

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

It is my time, Minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

It was quite a long question. I'll give the minister 15 seconds to finish.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

Let's work together. That is my point here. Let us work together.

I think you're misconstruing my opening statement. You're not reflecting the other work that we're doing in order to address intimate partner violence.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

Minister, I'm moving on.

Another theme that you brought up in response to Ms. Cody, which your government consistently brings up day after day after day, is accusing the Conservative Party of obstructing criminal bail and sentencing legislation. I don't know where you were at 1:30 this morning, but I was in this building, passing Bill C-14. We sat for nine and a half consecutive hours to make this a priority.

I then wanted to make a priority of Bill C-16, to get rid of the Jordan issue, to deal with mandatory minimum penalties, to strengthen offences dealing with intimate partner violence, but with every attempt—we brought motion after motion to deal with Bill C-16 as a priority—your government voted it down, so let's set the record straight on who is really obstructing their own legislation. It is not the Conservative Party of Canada.

You had seven and a half months to bring forward critical legislation, to make a difference in the lives of intimate partner violence victims, and you waited, literally, until the last minute to introduce legislation, and now you're delaying it. That's shameful.