Madam Chair, I was listening to Mr. Stanton, and I said to myself that we could be in for surprises. I do not think that we will have a significant effect on the 2008 budget, which must be already prepared in large part. But I am sure that the Department of Finance knows that we have begun to study gender-based budgeting. I feel that we are perhaps in for surprises and that the budget will likely contain some of the things that concern us.
So it is even more important to know how the various subjects and the various areas will be addressed. In that way, we could also get an idea of what has already been done, and be able to tell ourselves that we are making progress. That could be quite satisfying. Sometimes, we get the feeling that we are working in a vacuum.
Like Ms. Minna, I am sure that all successive governments have tried to start to do it but have not necessarily succeeded. Now that it is known that people are interested—I am convinced that the Department of Finance knows of our interest—perhaps a greater effort will be made as the budget is being prepared and we will be pleasantly surprised.
An expert would help us for sure.