Rona Ambrose. Photo via YouTube.

When then-interim Conservative Party leader Rona Ambrose tabled a bill last February that would require all judges to be trained in sexual assault law, the idea was widely embraced by all parties. The motion followed a slew of incidents wherein Canadian judges displayed astonishing fogginess on what constitutes consent. In May 2017, with politicians and the public primed for change, Bill C-337, legislation to amend the Judge’s Act and the Criminal Code around sexual assault, sailed through its first reading in the House of Commons. But since then, it’s been stalled in the Senate. What about the bill—and those deciding its fate—is causing the holdup?

WHAT DOES BILL C-337 MEAN FOR JUDGES?
If passed, eligibility for judicial appointment will require individuals to complete a comprehensive education in sexual assault law and social context.

Social context refers to an understanding of the low confidence level Canadians have in the judicial system when it comes to sexual violence after seeing what happens to survivors in such trials, in the media and through their own experiences and those of people they know. Such a context also examines factors like social barriers, intergenerational traumas, and the retraumatization that often occurs when a person goes through the judicial system.

This education would aim for judges to not be influenced by stereotypes, myths, or prejudice.

WHAT GALVANIZED THE BILL?
Ambrose says her experience volunteering at a rape crisis centre and her work with the Status of Women Action Group’s court watch were catalysts for Bill C-337.

HOW WOULD THE NEW RULES HELP SURVIVORS?
The bill would give sexual assault survivors more confidence in the justice system when reporting an assault.

“People have told me that they will not report [sexual assault] because they can’t see themselves surviving a trial,” says Linda Christina Redgrave, founder of support organization Coming Forward.

In the lead-up to the first reading of Bill C-337, Redgrave and trauma-informed lawyer Helgi Maki sent Ambrose a report about the importance of judicial training on the traumatic impact of sexual assault to increase access to justice in such cases. In it, the pair explained how intimidating and confusing the process is when reporting experiences of sexual violence, from the police station to the courtroom.

Until there is an increased confidence among people who might need to report, Maki says, there is a barrier to justice.

WHAT’S THE HOLDUP?
Ambrose blames a few Liberal and Independent senators for blocking the bill from passing its second reading. She specifically calls out Liberal Senator Joan Fraser, who has claimed, “it is neither appropriate nor wise for Parliament to be getting into the fine details of dictating what legal education must include.”

On October 26, 2017, NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau noted the holdup in the House of Commons. “It is completely unacceptable and ridiculous that the Senate, with its unelected members, is stalling an initiative that has the unanimous consent of the House,” Brosseau said.

Likewise, Maki is frustrated by the delay, though not entirely surprised. The bill would be precedent setting. If unelected judges are made to go through training, it’s plausible unelected senators might also have to, Maki suggests.

The Senate may keep thwarting the bill out of fear that if judges need more training, the entire system will be forced to level up, too.

Deepak Obhrai’s French made a lacklustre appearance at the January 17 debate in Quebec City, featuring a lot of finger-stabbing, repetition of poorly pronounced words (“bonsoir, bonsoir, bonsoir”), and using the Englishequivalent of “pea” (pois) instead of “dot” (point) while announcing his website address. Following the debate, French language experts at CBC promptly gave Obhrai a failing grade for his attempts.

Kellie Leitch released her “Screening for Canadian Values” video in February—and had Twitter in an uproar. Some even speculated that the countless cutaways and over-dramatic pauses were signs that Leitch was actually being held hostage.

Will you choose the red pill like @Dfildebrandt ? #cdnpoli #ableg pic.twitter.com/m2cjwbo4v7

— Maxime Bernier ?? (@MaximeBernier) March 6, 2017

In March, Maxime Bernier tweeted a Photoshopped image of himself as Morpheus from The Matrix, holding a red pill and a blue pill, suggesting his supporters are as enlightened as the film’s Neo. But, as many on Twitter pointed out, The Red Pill is also a men’s rights activism forum that describes itself as a “discussion of sexual strategy in a culture increasingly lacking a positive identity for men.” Maybe stick to the Mad Max memes in the future, Bernier.

On March 22, the Globe and Mail’s Leah McLaren wrote a column detailing her attempt at breastfeeding a stranger’s baby during a party 10 years ago, “just to see what it felt like.” That baby’s father turned out to be leadership hopeful Michael Chong, who called the situation “odd.” The Globe has since suspended McLaren and removed the column, though not before it could go viral. Many are now questioning the validity of McLaren’s story and wondering if #lacgate was a failed attempt at humour or simply “fake news.”

Photo courtesy of Rona Ambrose.

Not even interim party leaders are safe. In January 2017, Rona Ambrose took a Caribbean vacation on a billionaire’s yacht. At that same time her caucus, with her support, was calling for the ethics commissioner to investigate Justin Trudeau’s vacation on the Aga Khan’s private island in the Bahamas.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

This certainly rings true in the world of health policy: there’s a lot of talk, and the idea of change or reform is nice to think about, regardless of whether it ever happens. Recently, it seems that absolutely nothing is changing at all. Because for some reason we’re still debating about the needs of women in developing countries —and in particular we’re trying to decide if those women deserve access to safe and law-abiding abortions.

For just one second, lets forget the fact that Canadian women have this right and have had it for more than 40 years. Lets forget that it is, in itself, ridiculous for our government to have any say whatsoever over what happens in other countries, other than by providing advice and guidance through our own trial and error.

The Harper government was not saying, this week, that they would debate the legality of abortion. But by insisting that leaders at the G8 summit in Halifax remain silent on abortion while discussing other women’s health issues in developing countries, they placed a gag order on the issue.

This is indicative of not only of our foreign presence and international ideology, but of how the Conservatives in particularly see women in Canada, and especially in their own party. Watching Bev Oda take a strong stance against yet another women’s rights issue is becoming tiring. Last month it was debated if birth control would be talked during the meeting at all. Harper quickly jumped in the ring after protests took off.

I’d hate to say that women in the Conservative party are there as demographic placeholders, but it can often seem that way. With scandals surrounding former Conservative MPs Belinda Stronach and Rona Ambrose, I know more about the personal lives of our female MPs more than their politics—especially those politics pertaining gender issues.

And, as if Helena Geurgis needed more attention, the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women sent out a press release yesterday stating they’d like a review of the funding handed out under Ms. Guergis as Minister of the Status of Women. According to CRIAW President Judy White, many women’s advocacy groups were denied previously delegated funding this year:

“SWC has turned down a growing list of women’s groups this year, that they previously funded. Some are afraid they will lose more government funding if they speak out.”

“This is deeper than the government’s decision to eliminate funding for advocacy, lobbying and most research when they changed the SWC funding mandate 4 years ago… What could be more important than a project to ensure that all women can access shelters when they need refuge from oppressive and violent relationships?”

Through all this I’m left wondering: What are our women in government here for?

One would hope one part of their role would be to champion women’s health—and all that brings along. In a meeting drawing leaders from around the world to Canada with a focus on maternal health, I would have hoped those women elected to office (not to mention the men!) would have pushed harder for discussion and debate.

Canada has been a hotspot for international climate activists this week. We’ve got Al Gore in Toronto, warning among other things that using tar sands oil takes away any advantages of greening our vehicle fleet. Then there’s Britain’s George Monbiot speaking this Saturday at the University of Toronto (2-4PM) on the “Countdown to Copenhagen: Who in Canada is Killing the International Climate Treaty?” Possibly even more interesting will be Tuesday night’s Munk Debate with Monbiot, Elizabeth May, and on the pro-climate change side, Bjorn Lomborg and Lord Nigel Lawson.

Lots of potential inspiration to elicit further action.

With the announcement that Barack Obama will be attending the Copenhagen talks and bringing hard carbon reduction targets with him, and that Canada’s Parliament passed a resolution that we too must bring strong targets, allow me to provide two more suggestions for action this week, in hopes of putting the political pressure on Harper to make him do it.

Rebecca noted Tuesday that Prime Ministerial phone lines were blocked by Mississauga students calling for climate action. They politely refrained when someone from the office apparently asked them to stop calling, but by then the point was made.

To add to actions to be taken by supporters of the Canadian Youth Delegation and others, how about we all do the same? Organize an event and call: (613) 992-4211. Already hosting a talk? Get everyone’s cell phones out. How about a school democracy project like the one in Mississauga?

My last columns have suggested action by getting religious, rural and other groups on board to achieve climate results in the political realm. There are many high-profile folks who could be encouraged to write open letters to the Prime Minister or to newspapers for action. Since religious organizations are good places to get support, how about starting with the United Church of Canada and move right from there? Their national leader has called for climate action before.

Municipal leaders in Tory ridings, agricultural organizations and service clubs like Rotary could go a long way in lending their hand—but they likely need a nudge from you. I challenge some folks to start writing and posting their letters here, giving each other a hand in getting the work done.

Further action in the West may be starting, as both Environment Minister Jim Prentice and former Environment Minister Rona Ambrose both had their offices occupied this week by climate activists, including by a 70-something professor emeritus.

And contrary to some recent comments I’ve received to my column — I don’t worship the alter of former American President uh, Vice-President Al Gore. But I do think, if we don’t succeed in getting the Conservatives on board, we might do ourselves a favour and try acting a little crazy.