Considering the violence the witness endured and the courage needed to speak up, this is pretty gross. To steel yourself to be a witness at such a hearing and then be dismissed and cut off like this.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wit...mons-1.7281298
Two witnesses stormed out of a parliamentary committee meeting today after Liberals tried to steer a planned discussion about violence against women towards the topic of abortion rights.
Though witnesses set out to sombrely argue that the current justice and bail system is failing victims, the session quickly derailed into a mess of political bickering.
Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld was given the floor next. After making a brief statement about the federal government taking the issue seriously, the Ottawa MP chastened Conservatives for politicizing the issue and accused them of leaving little time for other parties to prepare — and no ability to recommend witnesses.
Instead of pivoting back to discussing the topic at hand with witnesses, Vandenbeld went on to move that the committee instead resume a different discussion about abortion rights.
The witnesses, left hanging, began heckling Vandenbeld.
Conservative MP Anna Roberts said she was "disgusted in this whole day," and apologized to the two.
Ferreri blasted Vandenbeld and said the victims came to testify in order to bring about "legitimate change."
https://nationalpost.com/news/politi...nds-into-chaos
'I was repulsed': Abuse survivor demands Liberal MP apologize after testimony 'hijacked' in chaotic House committee
MPs said they were 'disgusted' by the behaviour that drove two advocates for stopping violence against women to leave the parliamentary committee visibly shaken
An advocate for ending violence against women is calling on a Liberal MP to apologize after shutting down her testimony during a parliamentary committee Wednesday by turning the committee’s discussion into a partisan debate over abortion.
Instead of having the chance to share her story and the experiences other survivors who say the Canadian justice system has failed them, Cait Alexander says she left feeling disrespected and “abused.”
She then moved a motion to have the committee instead discuss another topic — abortion — even as the witnesses in the room yelled objections over her attempt to change the subject. Liberal and NDP members, who together hold a majority at committee, voted to pass the motion.