Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
I would like to thank our witnesses for coming today. I am very pleased to see you and particularly to hear what you have to say. I have a great deal of respect for all women whose mathematical skills are better than mine, which is not that difficult.
I read very carefully some of your publications, such as, “Growing Up: The Social and Economic Implications of an Aging Population”. I also read a press release you put out on March 19, 2007 after the Conservative budget was tabled. In it, you seem to be satisfied with this budget.
Could you be a little more specific about the benefits of this budget for women entrepreneurs and for women generally, because I see nothing in the budget, as you were saying earlier, about employment insurance, maternity leave, bereavement leave, the pension plan and pay equity. So I am really wondering whether the budget was drafted without taking women into account. I'm having a little trouble understanding.
In the document entitled “Growing Up: The Social and Economic Implications of an Aging Population”, you say that the objective must be an effective harmonization of personal or private programs with public programs. How do you think this would be possible, in light of the difficulty some women have reconciling work and family life, and who very often have precarious or seasonal employment because of this problem? I want to understand better, and I'm sure you will be able to help me.