Status of Women Committee on May 26th, 2010

[Michelle Simson, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

What if those countries are asking for this? You're opposing—

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

As I said, I believe we have chosen a very honourable, laudable goal of saving the lives of millions of women and children, which is supported by international aid agencies and care agencies all over the world. I think it's an initiative that Canadians feel very strongly about. All of us as women can work toward this goal.

Again, this has been identified by the world care agencies and aid agencies as an area that we need to address. So this is why the Prime Minister and Minister Oda have shown leadership in this area. We have an historic opportunity to get behind this and not have a distracting debate about abortion in Canada.

[Michelle Simson, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

But, Minister, the package you want to deliver for the G8 is picking and choosing--

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

On a point of order, Madam Chair, I believe we had 45 seconds about two minutes ago. I'm wondering if we might—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Almost everyone had gone over. Ms. Oda has answered all the questions one minute above everyone, so we've had everyone else getting eight minutes in their seven minutes. I'm going to use my prerogative as the chair to allow this to be answered by the minister.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

I think what has impacted me the most about this is hearing what people like Sharon Marshall from World Vision have said. She has said to us that this debate is distracting. We've heard other care agencies say that this debate we're having here in Canada is distracting and that this is an historic opportunity to help women and children and to save the lives of women and children.

As Minister Oda has said, presidents of organizations like World Vision, UNICEF, Results Canada, CARE Canada, Plan Canada, and Save the Children have said that it's time to focus on the hope and opportunity that this G8 offers us instead of having this distracting debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

Now I'll go to Ms. McLeod for the Conservatives.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would also like to thank—

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

You have seven minutes, so enjoy them....

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You are not the chair.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Sorry? I was just speaking to my colleague, Madam Chair. I don't believe that I was addressing the chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

It was said loudly enough for the chair to hear. I made my ruling.

Ms. McLeod, please go ahead.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

[Inaudible--Editor]...in this instance, I wasn't addressing the chair so--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

The chair is being fair to everyone. You may come and look at how everyone—

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

The chair...[Inaudible--Editor].

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Calandra, you're going to be taking time from Ms. McLeod.

Please, Ms. McLeod, go ahead.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Oh, I already knew that, Madam Chair, believe me.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you, Minister Oda and Minister Ambrose. I really appreciate you both coming here today.

What I would like to do is pick up on some of Minister Ambrose's opening comments. As she might be aware, tonight we're having a meeting regarding Status of Women funding decisions.

Unfortunately, the opposition has really shut down any kind of balance to the conversation that we're going to have tonight and has refused.... They're focusing all the witnesses on some people who of course unfortunately were very regretful about not getting their grants and they indeed turned off allowing any people who were successful in terms of getting grants to sort of talk tonight.

I think what I would really like, because we're not going to have another opportunity, and to pick up on your earlier conversation.... Can you talk about the support the Government is Canada is providing to women through Status of Women Canada?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Sure. Thank you for the question.

Let me say that the Status of Women department has done great work in working with women's groups across the country to promote the equality of women, to address women's full participation in political life, in social life, and in our democratic life.

Under our government, we have now increased the funding for Status of Women to the highest it has ever been in the history of Canada. It has become so successful that we have too many people applying for funding under this program, which is great news. It's fantastic news.

But what it does mean is that there are some groups that don't receive funding, unfortunately. But we continue to work with these groups. I've yet to see any group that did not receive funding that isn't doing good work. There is great work being done all across this country.

But we wanted to also, at this time, from what I understand, fund groups that have never been funded before, so 40% of this last round of funding went to groups that have never received any funding in the past. I think that's important also.

Another goal of the funding for the Status of Women community groups—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Excuse me, please. I think I'm going to have to interject here.

I was very clear when we began this meeting today as to what the meeting was about. It was very clearly with regard to maternal and child health. There is a meeting that begins at six o'clock, after the vote, a special meeting called to discuss funding. We are moving away from the reason for this particular meeting to discussing issues that are not meant to be discussed in this meeting.

There is time, Ms. McLeod, for you to ask those questions in the special meeting that was set up specifically for dealing with funding issues. I would like to you stick to.... As a point of order, please, I would like you to stick to the topic at hand, which is maternal and child health....

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, I am of course very disappointed with your comments. I know that traditionally within this group when we've had ministers arrive, and especially in response to their opening statements, we've allowed a great deal of latitude in terms of where the discussion goes. That is the tradition. I think we're deviating from what has been our tradition.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Indeed, Ms. McLeod. You are absolutely right, but we do that when we ask the minister to come in and speak to her department as a whole and in general.

There is a specific meeting, which this committee agreed to, that is going to be held for two hours as a special meeting to deal with funding.

This particular meeting is one of four meetings that the committee agreed to do to speak to the issue of maternal and child health. So we are having a specific meeting right now, not a generic meeting.

I allowed the minister to make a statement that did not address what the meeting was about, which is maternal and child health. The minister made a 10-minute statement and did not address it. But I will not allow this meeting to continue to be railroaded by other issues. It's clear what this meeting is about.

I took the time to read the motion and to speak to the mandate of this meeting. Would you please stick to the topic at hand?

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I will do a bit of a shift, Minister Ambrose. I want to head toward the important role in the rebuilding of Afghanistan, which includes helping women and children. We rarely hear of the work being done and the impact it's having, especially for women and children.

I know you've been there. Perhaps you could tie this in, especially in the area of children and moving forward with the health of children.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Thank you for that.

Minister Oda was in Afghanistan just this week, and I was there a few weeks ago. I think it's something that all of us, as elected women in this country, should be aware of: the kind of progress that's being made in Afghanistan thanks to our civilians and our troops on the ground. I think it's uplifting for Canadians to find out that we have made so much progress.

In terms of democratic participation, it's amazing that in a country where women weren't able to vote and where women weren't able to run for office we now have them as members of Parliament in Afghanistan sitting in their legislature. I think that as women we should all be very aware of that and very proud of the role Canada has played.

In particular, when it comes to education, Canada has done a great deal of great work, through CIDA in particular. We know that our troops on the ground are providing security so civilians and officials like the people at CIDA can do the good work, and because of their good work, we now have almost two million little girls going to school.

I think this is a legacy and a testament to the great bravery of our men and women in uniform, but also to the great work that our officials are doing on the ground. I think it's really important for this committee to think about that, and to make sure that every one of us, as elected officials representing Canada, get a chance to speak about this.

I know that when Minister Oda and I have speaking engagements we always try to make people aware of the great social, economic, and political progress that's being made by women in Afghanistan.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

Ms. McLeod, I think you weren't around when the minister did not answer anything to do with maternal and child health.

Because the ministers are about to leave and we do not have another round, I would have everyone know, obviously, that we have two people left in this round. I would ask the ministers if they could please stay to accommodate that round so that everyone gets an opportunity to question them.

The two questioners to come are Ms. Demers and Ms. Mathyssen, from the Bloc Québécois and the NDP, so if the ministers would please accommodate them, for reasons of fairness, we would be glad to keep you for a few minutes.

We have two five-minute rounds, so that should take 10 minutes, if everyone tries to stay within the time. At the most, it will take 12 minutes.

But I would like to suggest, Ms. McLeod, that a letter was written according to the decisions of this committee on May 6 specifically asking the Minister for Status of Women to appear before this committee at a special meeting between the hours of 6 and 8 to present on funding.

If the minister couldn't come to this meeting on funding, we would have changed the special meeting, because that meeting was being held specifically to deal with the minister and specifically to deal with the issue of funding. We only knew this on the 20th, which was in the middle of a break week, and there was no ability to call this committee together to change the date of the meeting. So here we are, with witnesses, at a meeting from 6 to 8, and the minister will not be here to answer questions on funding.

I wanted to give you the information so that everyone would be aware of the facts that we do have a meeting on funding and that is where the minister would be asked questions, but she's not going to be here.

Yes, Mr. Calandra.