SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Ontario Assembly

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
November 14, 2022 10:15AM
  • Nov/14/22 3:50:00 p.m.
  • Re: Bill 26 

Thank you, Speaker, and thank you as well to the member for Scarborough–Rouge Park. Just because the time is brief, I want to read this from OCUFA: “OCUFA strongly supports measures to address sexual assault on campus. However, this act offers a narrow and punitive vision for addressing the serious problem of assault and harassment. OCUFA recommends a holistic approach to enforcing policies around sexual violence on campus focused on prevention, education, and support.”

I think we’re all aligned that this sort of thing shouldn’t be happening and people should be held accountable, but I’m just wondering—as the Conservative government has been saying that this is just one step in the process—if the member opposite could share what will be coming forward that will focus on prevention, education and support to prevent these things from happening in the first place?

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  • Nov/14/22 4:20:00 p.m.
  • Re: Bill 26 

I appreciated the member’s strong comments about the need to take decisive action to protect students on post-secondary campuses from sexual assault. There certainly is no countenance for that within this Legislature. But I am concerned, because we know from the data that, overwhelmingly, unwanted sexualized behaviours on campus that are experienced by students are from other students. So there’s an opportunity within this bill to implement training mandates on campuses, for example—training of all staff, students and faculty about what constitutes consent and how to respond. I’m just wondering why the government didn’t incorporate any of those kinds of prevention and education measures in this bill.

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  • Nov/14/22 4:20:00 p.m.
  • Re: Bill 26 

I have a question for the member opposite, who—it’s getting to be a couple of years ago now—I was pleased to work with a bit and learn from, as we were all learning about human trafficking and her work at that time. In the spirit of that time, I want to talk about the importance of education when we’re here discussing sexual assault and the punitive side of things, which has its place and is important—but also, what about the prevention side?

To the member opposite, I would say: We all know that sexual assault of any kind causes lifelong trauma and significant impact. So why, in this bill, do we not see a shout-out to Consent Awareness Week, and why aren’t we seeing a focus on prevention, and where is the place for that with this government, in this House?

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  • Nov/14/22 4:40:00 p.m.
  • Re: Bill 26 

Thank you to the member for Spadina–Fort York. One of the things you said that really caught my ear was “a culture of misogyny,” when you talked about the importance of prevention. I would just ask the member from Spadina–Fort York if he can talk about why prevention is so important in breaking apart a culture of misogyny.

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