OTTAWA -- Former interim leader of the federal Conservative Party Rona Ambrose is accusing her former caucus colleagues of blocking her private member鈥檚 bill requiring sexual assault education for would-be judges to ensure that another bill about Indigenous rights does not pass.
In Ambrose said she was told the Conservatives will 鈥渂lock鈥� her Bill C-337 to make sure that another private member鈥檚 bill requiring Canadian laws be in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 鈥渘ever passes.鈥�
After Ambrose decried a 鈥済roup of old boys鈥� in Senate for delaying her bill, it was dealt with at committee in the Senate, and amendments were made that she welcomed.
Now, the bill is awaiting two votes and a final round of debate in the Senate before it can be passed and sent back to the House, but Ambrose says that might not happen now because of members of the party she used to lead.
The legislation -- formally titled C-337, Judicial Accountability through Sexual Assault Law Training Act -- would require comprehensive training on sexual assault, including rape myths and stereotypes associated with sexual assault complaints, and how trauma can affect memory, for anyone seeking a judicial appointment by the federal government.
Bill C-337 would also require the Canadian Judicial Council to report on continuing education on sexual assault law, and require courts to provide written decisions in sexual assault cases, rather than oral rulings.
鈥淧olitics are standing in the way. Where is the political support for sexual assault survivors?鈥� Ambrose tweeted. 鈥淪ad day.鈥�
Bill C-262, The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, is sponsored by NDP MP Romeo Saganash. It is also awaiting final rounds of debate and a vote after passing a Senate committee without amendments.
Back in April the House of Commons sent a message to the Senate urging them to pass this bill, alongside Ambrose鈥檚.
As The Canadian Press has reported, Conservative senators鈥攚ho are part of the Conservative Parliamentary caucus鈥攈ave denied ragging the puck on these bills, saying that Independent senators are to blame for the tight timeline, and that the Conservatives鈥� focus is on government bills.
Asked to comment on Ambrose鈥檚 accusation, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer鈥檚 office did not confirm or deny that the Conservative are blocking her bill, saying that the party agreed with the unanimous passage it received in the House of Commons.
Spokesperson Daniel Schow places the blame for the bill鈥檚 current predicament on the Liberal majority.
鈥淭he responsibility to pass this bill ultimately falls to them,鈥� he said in a statement.
Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Perry Bellegarde, who was a member on the NAFTA advisory council with Ambrose, and called on the Senate to pass them.
鈥淐onservative Senators have the power to pass these two bills,鈥� he said. 鈥淐onservative Senators are not fulfilling the democratic principles that the Senate was founded on. Everyone has a role in Reconciliation.鈥�
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett is also 鈥淚ndigenous peoples and survivors of sexual assault are counting on Andrew Scheer to do the right thing, stand with them, and support the passage of Bills C-262 and C-337, in this Parliament.鈥�
There are six sitting days left in the House and 10 days left in the Senate. In this time more than a dozen government bills need to pass, and those take precedence over private members鈥� bills.
While the Conservative Senators may not be moving on these bills, Conservative Senate Whip that his caucus would support passing two government bills that seek to affirm Indigenous rights: Bill C-91, the Indigenous Languages Act, which is aimed at reviving Indigenous languages and would create a new Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages; and Bill C-92, which seeks to assert that Indigenous people have jurisdiction over child and family services in their communities.
鈥淲orking hard to get important legislation passed,鈥� he said.
