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Results: 106 - 120 of 128
View Ginette Petitpas Taylor Profile
Lib. (NB)
Madam Speaker, it is an absolute pleasure for me to rise in the House today to speak to this important legislation, Bill C-5, an act to amend the Judges Act and also the Criminal Code of Canada.
I feel very passionate about this piece of legislation, because I have seen first-hand many barriers that women and Canadians face when they are victims of sexual violence.
Prior to entering politics, as I have mentioned a few times in this House, I was a front-line social worker. I served over 23 years with the Codiac regional RCMP as the victim services coordinator. During that time, I had the privilege of accompanying many survivors of sexual violence through some very difficult times.
Within the RCMP, a part of my job was assisting police officers in conducting these types of investigations and also helping victims navigate through a very a complex system, preparing them for court and oftentimes accompanying them to court. I have personally had the privilege of accompanying probably thousands of victims who faced these very difficult situations. I wish I could stand here today and say that I have never heard any inappropriate comments made by judiciaries, but that is not the case. I have seen first-hand some of the treatment that women and individuals have gone through, which is why I feel so passionate that this bill move forward. I am pleased to see that all members of this House are supporting the bill.
If passed, this bill will ensure that superior court judges who hear sexual assault cases get proper training so they will not be influenced by harmful myths and stereotypes that persist in our society. It will also lead to a better understanding of the social context surrounding this type of crime in our country. This training will also assure the public that judges are applying the law in a way that respects survivors' dignity and reality. This training will give judges the right tools to make fair, impartial decisions.
The bill will also require judges to explain their final decisions in sexual assault proceedings in writing, which will make the process more open and transparent.
Sexual assault is a form of gender-based violence and one of the most under-reported crimes in Canada. When I was a front-line worker, we would often say that fewer than 6% of survivors came forward, and today we have heard in the House the statistic of 5%, and so we know that this crime is truly under-reported. Unfortunately, gender-based violence is one of the most pervasive and deeply rooted human rights violations of our time, and we have to remember that it is 100% preventable.
I would like to talk about the Government of Canada's coordinated efforts to prevent and address gender-based violence, because Bill C-5 is another important piece of a larger suite of initiatives designed to better support survivors and their families, as well as to promote a responsive legal justice system.
First, let me explain what gender-based violence is.
Gender-based violence is violence directed towards another person based on their gender identity, gender expression or perceived gender. Gender-based violence is linked to gender inequities, unequal power dynamics and harmful gender norms and behaviours. It is made worse by other forms of discrimination.
Women and girls, racialized women, lesbian, gay and bisexual people, indigenous people and people with disabilities are at an increased risk of experiencing gender-based violence. Transgender, two-spirit and gender-diverse people in Canada also experience higher rates of violence.
In Canada, gender-based violence continues to happen at an extremely alarming rate. According to data collected by Statistics Canada, between 2008 and 2018, over 700 women were killed by their intimate partner in this country. In 2018, one in every three women experienced unwanted sexual behaviour in public. While these numbers are terrifying, the reality for indigenous women and girls is even worse. In 2018, the rate of homicide was nearly seven times higher for indigenous women and girls than for their non-indigenous counterparts.
Faced with such a bleak picture, the government took action.
In 2017, the Government of Canada took action, launching the very first federal strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence entitled “Canada's Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence”.
The strategy includes over $200 million for federal initiatives to prevent gender-based violence, support survivors and their families, and promote responsive legal and justice systems.
The gender-based violence strategy is the first-ever federal strategy of its kind because it takes a whole-of-government approach and is informed by grassroots activism and feminist action.
We listened to survivors and women's and equality-seeking organizations in communities across the country that are working tirelessly to address gender-based violence within their communities. Let me give some examples of the initiatives under the strategy that were informed by their voices.
As a part of the strategy, the Public Health Agency of Canada, also known as PHAC, is investing more than $40 million over five years and more than $9 million per year ongoing. This includes investing in initiatives that prevent child maltreatment and teen and youth dating violence, and equip health professionals to respond to gender-based violence.
For example, the Public Health Agency of Canada is funding projects through which young Canadians learn how to develop and maintain healthy relationships that are free from violence and abuse. Educators are also provided with new tools to increase their capacity to deliver this type of guidance to young Canadians.
Teaching teenagers across Canada about what a healthy relationship looks like also helps foster positive relationships, changes attitudes and promotes gender equality. It helps foster a greater understanding, ultimately resulting in a safer community for young Canadians anywhere in Canada from coast to coast to coast.
In addition, the Public Health Agency of Canada is investing more than $6 million per year to support the health of survivors of family violence. Improving physical and mental health outcomes for youth and children, helping mothers experiencing family violence learn the impact of violence on their parenting and their children's development, while building mothers' self-esteem and improving their positive parenting and healthy relationship skills, and building resilience and life skills in young women are just some examples of what the funded projects aim to accomplish.
Just as Bill C-5 proposes to train judges, under the strategy we are training RCMP front-line officers so that they can better understand the social context surrounding gender-based violence. The goal is for survivors to feel more confident in moving forward to denounce their aggressors and for officers to be more understanding of the survivors' situation.
These are just a few examples that demonstrate the ongoing progress of the strategy.
As part of the strategy, we are working in close co-operation with every level of government, including the provincial and territorial governments, as well as several departments and organizations. We are pooling our resources to strengthen our ability to support those affected by gender-based violence in communities across Canada.
We are working on establishing a national plan that would ensure that anyone facing gender-based violence is protected and has reliable and timely access to services, no matter where they live.
In closing, I could continue discussing our accomplishments and the continuous efforts we are making. The point is that Canada's strategy to prevent gender-based violence is moving forward because we know there is still more work that needs to be done.
We need to give Bill C-5 our full support. We are counting on all members of Parliament to help us continue this crucial work to end gender-based violence within our communities.
View Jagmeet Singh Profile
NDP (BC)
View Jagmeet Singh Profile
2020-02-06 14:27 [p.1032]
Mr. Speaker, we asked the Liberal government how much it has spent on taking first nations children to court.
The Liberals replied that it has spent $5 million. When Cindy Blackstock asked the same question, however, they said it was over $8 million.
How much is it? How much is the government spending on taking first nations kids to court? Is it over $5 million, as they told us, or is it over $8 million, as they told Cindy Blackstock?
My question is simple. How much money is the Liberal government spending on taking first nations kids to court?
View David Lametti Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, we fully agree that we must compensate first nations children harmed by past government policies. The Department of Justice has a consistent formula that officials use to calculate legal costs in all these matters.
As we have said previously, our focus remains on finding a fair and equitable solution for first nations children who have been negatively impacted by child and family policies. That remains the same.
View Jagmeet Singh Profile
NDP (BC)
View Jagmeet Singh Profile
2020-02-04 14:27 [p.905]
Mr. Speaker, why do the Liberals continue to fight first nations children in court? It is completely inexplicable.
Imagine being a parent whose kids are being denied services by the government, and that the very same government is spending over $8 million fighting those kids in court. That is what is happening here. That is what the Liberal government is doing.
Can the Liberals explain to parents across this country why they are spending millions of dollars fighting kids in court instead of investing in their future?
View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, we agree that we must compensate first nations children who were harmed as a result of government policies related to child and family services in the past. We want a solution that is both comprehensive and fair.
As my colleague knows very well, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered the Government of Canada to begin discussions on a process for compensating victims of federal discrimination against first nations children, and that is what we are doing. Our target date for presenting an initial compensation model is February 21. That is what we are doing.
View Leah Gazan Profile
NDP (MB)
View Leah Gazan Profile
2020-02-03 15:03 [p.831]
Mr. Speaker, the government's record on the treatment of first nations children is getting worse by the day. We have learned that the government has actually spent not $5 million but over $9 million on legal fees to fight first nations children in courts. This is shameful for a government that was found guilty for wilfully and recklessly discriminating against first nations children on reserve.
What price is the Prime Minister willing to spend on lawyers to continue violating the human rights of first nations children?
View Arif Virani Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Arif Virani Profile
2020-02-03 15:04 [p.831]
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite's question underscores a very important point of the historic tragedy that has faced first nations kids in the country and the discrimination they have endured, discrimination that we are committed to correct.
With respect to the issue of legal costs that she has raised, we are working very closely with the legal officials involved and lawyers on both sides. Certain matters are covered by solicitor-client privilege that cannot be disclosed, but we are working carefully with the lawyers to ensure that their legal fees are paid and that justice is rendered for these children.
View Leah Gazan Profile
NDP (MB)
View Leah Gazan Profile
2020-01-31 11:29 [p.762]
Madam Speaker, when it comes to indigenous kids, the Liberal government continues to wilfully and recklessly discriminate against first nations children on reserve.
The Liberals have fought court order after court order and are ignoring the unanimous will of this House. The Prime Minister is so committed to his crusade to deny these kids justice that he has spent over $5 million on court fees to fight them.
Why does the Prime Minister think this money is better spent on lawyers than on children?
View Arif Virani Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Arif Virani Profile
2020-01-31 11:29 [p.762]
Madam Speaker, this is a very important issue. What we stand by and fully agree with is that compensation for first nations children must be forthcoming for those who were harmed by past government policies.
We are seeking a solution to this issue that is comprehensive, fair and equitable for all first nations children in relation to child and family services.
The specific details with respect to payment and costs associated with litigation are covered by solicitor-client privilege. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further on that particular issue.
View Charlie Angus Profile
NDP (ON)
View Charlie Angus Profile
2020-01-28 15:03 [p.588]
Mr. Speaker, it has been four years since the government was found guilty of systemic discrimination against first nation children. The Prime Minister has seven non-compliance orders, millions spent on lawyers, is going to Federal Court to try to quash the ruling, and now he has blown off tomorrow's deadline for negotiating while refusing to support the class action that he said he was going to support.
The Prime Minister has built his political reputation fighting the most vulnerable children in this country, and kids have died. When is he going to call off his lawyers, sit down with Cindy Blackstock and negotiate a just solution for all these children and their families? When is he going to do it?
View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, our commitment to compensate first nation children harmed by past child and family services policy is firm and remains firm.
Canada has named senior officials from my department and the Department of Justice to conduct discussions. Those discussions are ongoing and will be kept on a strictly confidential basis to build trust between the parties, which heretofore has not been the case. No party will be speaking publicly about this. Because we want to make progress specifically focused on children who have been harmed by past policies, the CHRT has asked our parties to sit down and determine what the compensation process might look like. That is exactly what we are going to do.
View Jagmeet Singh Profile
NDP (BC)
View Jagmeet Singh Profile
2020-01-27 14:31 [p.458]
Mr. Speaker, four years ago first nations kids won a historic victory in the Human Rights Tribunal. The tribunal found that the government discriminated against first nations kids and denied basic health care services. The Liberals are continuing to take these kids to court.
The Prime Minister had four years to remedy the situation. While the kids continue to suffer, the Liberals are spending millions of dollars in legal fees.
Will the Liberals stop taking kids to court and start providing equitable services?
View Justin Trudeau Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Justin Trudeau Profile
2020-01-27 14:31 [p.458]
Mr. Speaker, we know that reconciliation is something of importance not just to this government but to all Canadians, and that is why we have taken so many historic steps to move forward the relationship with indigenous peoples in this country.
We have ensured that we are respecting Jordan's principle. Under the last years of the previous government, zero cases were approved under Jordan's principle, and since then, hundreds of thousands of approvals under Jordan's principle have made a real difference in the lives of indigenous children across this country. We recognize there is much more to do. That is why we are continuing to work hard every day to create better opportunities for indigenous families.
View Jagmeet Singh Profile
NDP (BC)
View Jagmeet Singh Profile
2019-12-12 14:28 [p.345]
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, all parliamentarians agreed that the government needs to accept the tribunal's decision and stop the discrimination against indigenous children. That means that the government must follow the tribunal's orders, stop taking the children to court and ensure that the children and families do not have to testify in court.
My question for the Liberals is this: will the Prime Minister immediately stop taking indigenous children to court?
View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, we need to compensate the first nations children who were harmed by past government policies. We are seeking a comprehensive, fair and equitable solution. That is why I asked the assistant deputy minister to work with those involved in the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, or CHRT, and those involved in the Moushoom class action suit to find the best possible solution for all of the children affected.
Our commitment to implement other CHRT orders and reform child and family services has not changed in any way. That work will continue.
Results: 106 - 120 of 128 | Page: 8 of 9

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