Status of Women committee  We always have to keep our focus on those who have been harmed. We have to increase the supports and services. At the same time—

Status of Women committee  Again, we are always called to support those who are suffering and exploited, and we need to go upstream and work to stop what's causing the harm. My advocacy on that end is the education of boys and men about consent and not participating in exploitation or trafficking. If we don't turn that around, we will continually be creating more and more services to support those who are harmed.

Status of Women committee  Thank you. It is a very complex question that requires the best of all of us. I do see that there is a continuum. I acknowledge that there are those who identify as sex workers who have high autonomy, no trauma history, no poverty and high negotiating control. However, that is a very small minority of people.

Status of Women committee  Thank you so much. I'm seeing some encouraging shifts in a couple of ways. One is that there are more female police officers, which begins to shift the culture, as well. Two is that in Alberta and in, I think, Peel region and a few other jurisdictions across the country, women who are survivors of trafficking or exploitation have been hired, or young women who are very committed and skilled workers are working with police.

Status of Women committee  Thank you. Fay, would you like to go first?

Status of Women committee  Okay, thank you. Again, I'm going to draw strength and insight from indigenous women who are really leading this work in Alberta. I mentioned the woman who, for the second year, has been invited to educate staff of Enbridge, one of the pipeline companies. I also support the indigenous advisory monitoring committee for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

Status of Women committee  Thank you. I do agree with Ms. Blaney that there are not enough culturally appropriate resources and shelters. Calgary has the Awo Tann women's shelter, which is very powerful and supportive. Edmonton does not have an indigenous-led women's shelter. I, personally, really advocate for having a shelter developed by indigenous women—survivors of abuse and violence—that is crafted in the ways they want it.

Status of Women committee  If I may, I would like to address something different. To prepare for this, I read the 2007 report by the status of women committee, called “Turning Outrage into Action”. I do think we're still at “outrage”. We need more concerted action across the country. We do have, through the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, the tool that is needed for Canada to uphold its commitment as a signatory to the Palermo protocol.

Status of Women committee  Thank you. It's been my privilege to facilitate the sex trade offender program for over 26 years. It's how I got involved—seeing the impact of the activities of men exploiting young girls and women on the streets of my core community in Edmonton. I've worked with over 3,400 men.

Status of Women committee  Thank you. I agree.

Status of Women committee  Thank you for that really important question. It's truly appreciated. I would like to say that one thing we do through the sex trade offender program is ask the men to fill in their adverse childhood experiences. It's an overview of what things can happen in childhood that might lead to actions and health issues in their lives.

Status of Women committee  Good afternoon, members of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. Thank you for this invitation and this opportunity. I will begin my comments with three recent news stories from Edmonton. The first is from April 26. A man accused of trafficking two 15-year-old girls faces 34 charges, including trafficking, procuring, advertising, material benefit, possession and distribution of child pornography, sexual assault and other charges.

Status of Women committee  Thank you for that question. I have a couple of suggestions. One, there could be investment in developing local transportation routes. Greyhound abandoned the west completely, and there's nothing, so I think some investment in local companies, local initiatives, maybe indigenous companies running the buses so that they create that safety and that's built in.

Status of Women committee  My apologies, I'm not familiar with the pathway report. However, I would speak to a couple of things. I'm very proud of our City of Edmonton. They developed an indigenous framework and have been steadily working on that. On April 6 there was a renewed commitment to specifically listening to the voices of indigenous women around what more we need to do in Edmonton as a city—I don't work for the city—to decrease the number of murdered and missing women and improve and lift up the contributions to our community.

Status of Women committee  I would defer to Ms. Sirois-Gauthier, if she would like to speak first.