Madam Speaker, I appreciate the motion and I believe that members will find that Canadians as a whole appreciate and understand the severity of the issue before us today. The member made reference to individuals and groups who have been supportive of the motion. I would like to add that the government will also be supporting the motion and sees its merit.
This is an issue that is close to the hearts of many Canadians, and it does not matter from which region of the country. Given the severity of the problem, I suspect it would be a challenge to find any noteworthy public policy organization that would oppose a motion of this nature to try to come up with ways we can better deliver programs and services, or at the very least, to get a better understanding of this.
The motion would require the Standing Committee on Health to conduct a study on the health effects of the growing problem of online sexual abuse, particularly against women and children. As pointed out, the committee on the status of women is also doing a study, but one that is somewhat different from what the member is proposing. Therefore, as I indicated, we are comfortable in supporting the motion before us.
It is important to recognize that the subject of the proposed study is consistent with the commitments in the 2015 Speech from the Throne to provide greater security for Canadians. In fact, members will find that the government's agenda to develop and implement a federal strategy against gender-based violence is in the mandate letters of the Minister of Status of Women, Minister of Justice, Minister of Public Safety, and the President of the Treasury Board. As well, the government is committed to undertaking an independent national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
The motion is also in line with the focus in budget 2016 on building evidence-based policies. I would suggest this is an excellent way for us, as legislators, to look at policy options. It is one of the things that I believe will be a good path for us to hopefully come up with a better understanding for better policy direction by the government.
Through the national strategy for the protection of children from sexual exploitation on the Internet, our government is in fact working to enhance the tools required for prevention, investigation, and prosecution of those who prey on children online. The government is also investing in research and programs to prevent and respond to the trauma of family violence, including guidance for care providers and essential services in communities.
However, there is always room to do more, and as the Prime Minister has indicated, we can always do better. Motion No. 47 is a way to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the health effects of online violence and degrading, sexually explicit material.
The issue before us is not new, and every year the Internet becomes more and more accessible. However, when I was first elected many years ago, the Internet did not exist. If we look at the laws and the government programs and policies in place at the time, there was nothing that one could compare to this problem. We could cite these issues in the Criminal Code, but they fall short in addressing the severity of this issue.
Some of the most touching discussions I have had is with law enforcement agencies who have had to deal with the issue of child exploitation through pornographic material and other types of horrific acts, which are so accessible through the Internet today. It has had a very profound impact on society, and not for the better.
The Internet has been a blessing to society in many different ways, but there are some significant issues and drawbacks that have arisen that have really been detrimental to society. The issue of child pornography and information accessed through the Internet dealing with the abuse of women and young children is totally and completely unacceptable.
We as legislators need to do what we can to combat this. The violence taking place in society today can often be attributed to what has been witnessed, whether on the Internet or on TV. To say that we as legislators play no role would be abdicating our responsibilities in trying to provide for a better society.
In his remarks, the member referenced this as an industry that generates billions of dollars, with hundreds of millions of viewers. It is an industry that is, unfortunately, far too healthy. We need to look at ways we can prevent that industry not only from growing, because of the damage it has caused to society, but ways we can put in some limitations that would protect the interests of society as a whole, and in particular, those who have been victims of abuse, sexual or otherwise.
There are strong advocates, in particular women's advocacy groups and children's advocacy groups. We need to recognize that there are victims in both genders. As the member referenced, our Prime Minister's wife has been a very strong advocate on the sensitivities of this issue and the call for legislators to take action.
In the motion, the member makes reference to respecting other jurisdictions. I would interpret that by recognizing that not only do we here in Ottawa have a role to play, but also provincial legislatures, school boards, municipal governments, and many different stakeholders all have a role to play in this.
There will be a second hour of debate, and I believe the motion will ultimately go to committee for study. It is important that Canada as a nation, the government, and the House of Commons all have a role to play. It is one of leadership. The things that are talked about in the House and the studies that will come out of the standing committees, whether it is the Standing Committee on Health or the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, the material that will be researched, and the drawing of witnesses from across Canada to participate would all ensure we come up with some good, solid recommendations that would ultimately make a difference.
I appreciate the member has put in a timeline of July, 2017. That is a responsible timeline. Some have suggested it could be earlier. We are providing a fairly clear direction here, allowing for the health committee to do its work in a timely fashion. I trust that many on the committee and many of the presenters will generate ideas that would hopefully assist us as legislators to demonstrate strong national leadership by bringing in some recommendations that would really make a difference.
We owe it to our children. We owe it to our society to improve the Internet. The Internet is a super fantastic thing, but there are some issues that need to be dealt with. This is just one of those issues, but one of the most significant, and it needs to be dealt with.