SUDBURY – Today, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights was scheduled to hear witness testimony on MP Viviane Lapointe’s Private Members Bill C-238, the Victims' Restitution Priority Act.
Two witnesses from Sudbury, Cristina Scarpellini, Founder/Executive Director of Angels of Hope Against Human Trafficking and Evie Ali, Executive Director of The Go Give Project, appeared before the Committee to provide expert testimony. In their opening addresses, they spoke about the devastating impacts of human and drug trafficking, and the challenges facing organizations that support victims every day.
Instead of allowing the witnesses to be heard, Conservative members chose to spend much of the meeting filibustering in order to delay the completion of the Justice Committee's review of Bill C-238.
As the filibuster continued, with Conservative MP Larry Brock speaking for over 47 minutes, rather than discussing the merits of the bill or hearing from witnesses, he read text message exchanges, a disappointing example of political tactics that get in the way of meaningful work noted Lapointe.
“The people who lost out today were not politicians. They were the witnesses who took the time to prepare testimony and participate in the democratic process, and the frontline organizations they represent, and ultimately the victims whose experiences deserved to be heard,” said Lapointe.
“Committee meetings should be about hearing evidence, questioning witnesses, developing recommendations, all with the aim of improving legislation. Using parliamentary committees as political tools is an abuse of the trust Canadians put in their elected officials.”
Lapointe said today’s actions by the Conservatives is another instance where the party has failed to give their backing to a Bill that supports organizations and first responders doing important work in communities across Canada. In April, the Conservatives voted against the Bill in the House of Commons, including Sudbury East-Manitoulin-Nickel Belt MP Jim Bélanger.
If passed, Bill C-238 would give courts another tool to order restitution to organizations that are left dealing with the consequences of drug and human trafficking crimes.