Status of Women Committee on May 7th, 2026

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Two have been completed and 82 haven't even been started. This is a fail.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

It was Red Dress Day earlier this week—

[The Chair, Conservative, Dominique Vien]

Thank you very much, Minister.

I'm quite flexible in allowing discussions, but we need to make sure that members of the committee and our guests don't talk over each other because that's dreadful for the interpreters. I think that everyone, on all sides, can make some concessions to ensure interventions are communicated clearly.

Mr. Chen, you have the floor.

[Shaun Chen, Liberal, Scarborough North, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

This committee recently undertook a study regarding anti-feminist ideology, which highlighted how online influencers in the manosphere are pushing anti-feminist and misogynistic rhetoric onto young men and boys in particular. From there, dehumanizing women and girls becomes normalized, which in turn allows for acts of gender-based violence to take place.

What work are you undertaking, Minister, to engage young men and boys in particular, who are crucial in the solution?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Through Women and Gender Equality, we absolutely need to make sure that we're engaging with men and boys, and the reality is that every single one of us has an important role to play to make sure we're doing everything we can to end gender-based violence in this country. Some of the work we do includes funding projects that help to engage with men and boys in a healthy way to make sure we can address gender-based violence.

I recently returned from Vancouver, where I met Black Buildup. We provided $669 million to this organization. I'm really proud to say that they teach young athletes through sport to make sure that they respect, that they provide consent, that they have bystander intervention to prevent gender-based violence. It's truly investments like these that help to build a healthier culture, where respect is the norm, which is what we want, where harmful behaviours are challenged and prevented, and where everyone understands their role in preventing gender-based violence.

I do want to take a moment to thank Minister Michel for her work in recently launching a men and boys strategy on mental health. We recognize that this has been an ask. Men and boys need help, but they also need supports. For anyone who is listening to this committee, I urge you to go to the website of the Minister of Health to put forward your recommendations to make sure that men and boys get the mental health support they truly deserve.

[Shaun Chen, Liberal, Scarborough North, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

Speaking of investment, I know that constituents in my riding and, indeed, Canadians across the country want to understand how federal investments are being delivered, particularly when it comes to advancing gender equality and supporting those who face violence.

Can you break down where the funding in last year's budget is going, including how investments are allocated across key areas such as gender-based violence prevention, housing supports, economic empowerment programs and community-based services?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

What I was sharing earlier with the committee is that our investments to end gender-based violence are through our national action plan to end gender-based violence. We put forth $539 million that we committed in budget 2022. We're three years into that plan. Through our investments already of $225 million.... I was sharing earlier that $1.3 billion is what the provinces and territories have been able to put forward. It's incredible what this has done. We're talking about 27,400 prevention resources that have been accessed, whether that's counselling, housing—which the member was asking about—legal information or crisis supports, which are vitally important.

The member is from Scarborough North, and I just want to share a positive story of just how many families in the member's riding really rely on these types of supports. Through a women's program, we invested $280,000 into the Homeward Family Shelter in Scarborough North to help strengthen its work and make sure that women and families can continue getting the support they need close to home. The impact of that support is very real for women on the ground in Scarborough. It helps women facing crisis and instability to access housing, connect with community-based supports or get help navigating through the barriers that often stand in the way of the type of stability that women need, whether that's income security, employment or child care—the list goes on—so I give a shout-out to the Homeward Family Shelter in Scarborough North for their good work.

[Shaun Chen, Liberal, Scarborough North, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

Indeed, Homeward Family Shelter, also known as Julliette's Place, is an incredible organization. I thank you for sharing news of that important investment.

Minister, you mentioned Red Dress Day, which was this past Tuesday. It's a day of awareness and action honouring missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. As you know, indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people continue to face disproportionately high rates of violence. This is part of the colonial realities that Canada continues to confront.

Can you speak to the actions your government is taking to help end this violence?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Again, our hearts go out to indigenous families, especially as they are grieving. We want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to help indigenous women and—

[The Chair, Conservative, Dominique Vien]

Unfortunately, that wraps up your answer, Minister. Every now and then, I have the unenviable task of having to cut you off.

Mrs. Roberts, you have the floor.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I'm going to go back to the minister about a question that was asked earlier.

The affordability crisis in this country has unfortunately caused a lot of individuals, especially seniors, to have to go to shelters. You talked about building homes quickly. Why is it then that the wait time for affordable housing is eight to 10 years for anyone waiting? How quickly are you going to speak to that project to ensure that seniors are not waiting that long and living on the streets?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

As I said earlier, how we're planning to address this is through our significant investments in housing. Again, we've committed $1 billion, and we're ensuring that, through that $1 billion—

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

I don't mean to cut you off, and I apologize for that, but I have limited time.

I apologize, Madam Chair.

I just wanted to know what the anticipated wait time is. Is it going to go from eight to 10 years to maybe 15 years, or are you going to be able to ensure that women, especially seniors, have the opportunity to find housing this year?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Again, our significant investments in housing are going to significantly help with the challenges we face with regard to homelessness. That includes senior women across the country. We're doing everything we can. We're working with provinces and territories to make sure we get those agreements settled, so that we can get the funding out the door to make sure we're building more shelters—

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Thank you very much for that response. I don't think that's what the seniors are looking for.

I'm going to go back to the femicide in Quebec. A 56-year-old man received a nine-year sentence after stabbing his wife. He will probably serve only six years. One of the things that women are asking us.... I've seen, especially when we did our tour across this country in 2024, from the east coast to the west coast and back, is that people are afraid to come out and speak to the police. People are afraid to come out and testify, because they know that their perpetrators will get out on bail and that their life could be on the line.

Why is it that they are not serving the rightful sentence of 25 years for committing murder?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

The member had a couple of questions, and I want to be able to address each of them.

In terms of the first part with regard to the gender-based violence and crime, through Bill C-16, again, we are going to make sure we're able to address that by making femicide a first-degree offence, making sure we're criminalizing coercive control, and through our bail reform, making sure that violent repeat offenders do not go back out on the streets.

On the other part of her question, with regard to reporting, we recognize that there have been challenges with reporting gender-based violence, but thanks to the resources that we are providing, more women are coming forward to make sure they can have their voice heard. That has also helped, as you're seeing an increase in reporting. Again, this is a way for us to make sure that we're tracking our progress and making good progress with regard to ending gender-based violence in this country.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Excuse me. I have limited time.

Why, then, did this man who committed murder not get 25 years to life?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

To make sure that we're addressing gender-based violence, we've put forward significant legislation. I do hope the member—

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Obviously, those significant violations aren't helping people, because women are being killed. Today and yesterday, 76% IPV is happening. It's been almost 11 years that the Liberal government has been in place, yet we are seeing these numbers increase over and over again.

Why is it that this gentleman...? Just give a simple yes or no answer. Do you agree that he should have had a 25-year sentence?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Again, we're doing everything we can to address gender-based violence legislation.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

That's not the question I asked.

I asked, do you agree that he should have had a 25-year sentence? Yes or no?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

I don't think anyone in this committee will ever agree.... We all want to make sure that gender-based violence ends in this country. I have already talked about legislation. I already talked about the important work that the government is doing to make sure there are organizations on the ground to support them. I referred to our investments in crisis lines so that victims and survivors have places to go.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Excuse me, Minister. Those lines aren't working. I just got off the phone with someone who's very upset, who has just been violated by her husband. He's out on bail two hours after being arrested. You know what? People listening at home are scared. They're worried.

This man should have received a 25-year sentence. People should not be let out on bail after beating someone or killing someone. The 25-year sentence should be there for that gentleman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dominique Vien]

Thank you very much, Mrs. Roberts. That concludes your time.

Ms. Nathan, you have the floor.

[Juanita Nathan, Liberal, Pickering—Brooklin, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister, through the main estimates, the women's program continues to provide important funding to community organizations across Canada, including in regions like Pickering—Brooklin, where local groups are working to remove barriers and strengthen opportunities for women and families.

Can you share how these investments are empowering organizations in Pickering—Brooklin and helping deliver measurable outcomes for women and gender-diverse people?