Thank you.
I want to address a couple of things.
Michelle, you commented on everything being left up to the victim. I actually think that's a really important piece. It's important that the voices of people who are victims should centre everything. I think taking away the voice of victims is not something we want to do. I understand the sentiment, but I think it's important that victims have that choice in terms of what they need to centre their safety. I understand that the sentiment behind it is to support victims, but I do think that's an important piece that we can't lose sight of.
I just want to go back to the senator. It was very hard for me to listen to the senator's story. I think all of us around the circle want to see something pass, because he did it in honour of his daughter. That's not lost on me.
My concern is that around the committee table I think we are not in agreement with how it's going to look. I do have concerns that if we don't get the amendments in, it's not going to pass in the House of Commons. Then he'll be left with nothing. I have a deep concern about that. He deserves to have that bill passed. It is up to us to negotiate a bill that works within the confines of the existing laws.
I do want to see this passed in the House of Commons, even for the women who came forward. Being survivors of violence and sharing their stories is very difficult to do. I understand the kind sentiments around the committee table for that as well.
However, we're running out of time. At the committee, we're talking about violence. We are running out of time to do studies, including one that I put forward on a “red dress alert”, if we're talking about coming up with strategies to deal with violence that will save lives in real time.
I'm just speaking honestly. I think we work very well as a committee, but if it goes through without amendments, I don't think it's going to look like what any of us want. We'll all lose, and the person who will especially lose will be the senator. I have a really hard time with that. I would be really sad for him if that happened. I just wanted to share that, just being mindful of the time to make amendments and get this through.
Thank you.