Two witnesses walked out angrily at a parliamentary committee meeting today after the Liberal Party tried to steer a planned debate on violence against women into the issue of abortion rights.
The rare summer hearing of the House of Commons Status of Women Committee was held for lawmakers to hear from activists and the deputy chief of Peel Regional Police.
Witnesses attempted to solemnly argue that the current justice and bail systems are failing victims, but the hearing quickly derailed into a mess of political bickering.
In her opening statement, Kate Alexander, executive director of the human rights group End Violence Everywhere, shared her own story in front of family members watching in a public seating area.
“I was supposed to be dead,” she said, showing deputies graphic photos of the abuse she suffered at the hands of a former boyfriend three years ago.
“If you haven’t met the survivors or the families of the victims, you have now met them.”
Witnesses left the parliamentary committee in anger after the Liberals tried to steer a planned debate on violence against women into the issue of abortion rights. Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri apologised on behalf of the committee, but the mother of one witness responded that “sorry isn’t enough”.
Soon after, MPs were held to account by Alexander’s family for their partisan behaviour that derailed the process, with Alexander’s frustrated mother saying she was “disappointed” in the Liberal firebrand and calling the whole affair another example of abuse.
It came just minutes after opening statements by Alexander, his lawyer Megan Walker and Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich, and the first round of questions from Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri.
Liberal MP Anita Vandenberg was next to speak. After a brief statement that the federal government was taking the matter seriously, the Ottawa MP accused the Conservatives of politicizing the issue and of giving other parties little preparation time and no ability to nominate witnesses.
“We are not going to use victims and survivors of trauma to score political points on this committee,” she asserted.
“I think it’s cruel to make people relive the trauma they’ve endured in order to have a meeting. If we can’t come to an agreement, there’s all kinds of social media. [saying] The Liberal Party and other parties don’t care about this issue. But as we all know, we care very deeply about this issue.”
“Did she hear anything that was said?”
Instead of returning to discussing the topic at hand with witnesses, Vandenbeld made a motion for the committee to resume a separate discussion on abortion rights.
Witnesses were left hanging and began heckling Vandenberg.
Mr Alexander again held up photos of her injuries, and a visibly upset Mr Walker said: “Here’s the question: Did she hear anything that was said this morning?”
The microphone was not returned to them, and instead a lengthy exchange ensued between the lawmakers, with multiple floor issues brought to the chair.
NDP MP Leah Gazan accused Conservative Chair Shelby Crump-Newman of not giving her a chance to speak and instead favouring Conservative MPs.
“The fact that I have been silenced at the committee without the opportunity to call witnesses is very disturbing, very violent and very disturbing,” Ghazan said.
“I am outraged that I represent a community of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls and was not given the opportunity to give evidence.”
“I’m sorry” isn’t enough
Shortly thereafter, Alexander left the room in tears, and Walker followed, turning his back on the committee.
Conservative MP Anna Roberts said she was “disgusted by this day” and apologised to the pair.
Ferreri slammed Vandenbeld and said the victims had come forward to testify in order to bring about “just change.”
She said the committee should have held more meetings to hear other witnesses on the issue and apologized to Alexander’s mother, who stood behind the witness table.
“‘Sorry’ is not enough. We’ve heard the words ‘I’m sorry,'” Alexander’s mother responded.
The meeting adjourned shortly thereafter.
