Status of Women Committee on March 15th, 2010

[Johanne Deschamps, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

They were represented?

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Suzanne has just advised me that there were six from Quebec. Yes, they were part of the official delegation.

[Johanne Deschamps, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

You're saying that the NGOs were represented. Correct?

[Suzanne Clément]

Yes, several Quebec NGOs participated in the UN meeting. I'm not sure how many exactly, but I know that over 120 Canadian agencies participated.

[Johanne Deschamps, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

If you could give me the names of the agencies, I would appreciate that very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Time is up. Could this information that you've asked for be sent later on to the committee? We've got about 30 seconds left, if you wanted to continue with that or ask another question.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I was going to just add quickly, on the title, the slogan that we're using is “Strong Women, Strong Canada, Strong World”. You may recall that this was also one of the slogans the UN used, so we picked it up and used it here in Canada because it was well received by women's organizations. It changes every year with respect to what the UN decides their focus will be.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Time is up.

Ms. Mathyssen.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Minister, you talked at length about increasing the prosperity for women, but we know that if women are going to be free from violence and have that economic security, there has to be affordable housing and there has to be child care. Yet your government has made changes to Status of Women Canada. You ended advocacy, which I would suggest is leadership; you ended funding to the National Association of Women and the Law; you're ending the funding for numerous groups, like CRIAW. There is no child care. In fact, you talked about this tiny little increment in terms of child care benefits. It's $3.25 a week, $168 a year, and it doesn't create a single child care space.

All of these things add up to a lack of equity for women. If you're so committed to that equality that you talk about, why have you allowed this systemic attack on women to continue from one budget to the next, and even within your own ministry?

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Suzanne will have something to add on one of the organizations you mentioned, but as I explained to you the last time I was here, Irene, any organization can apply to the community fund in a call for proposals. They just have to go with the new terms and conditions that we have in place--

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

The problem with the new terms and conditions, Minister, is they can't do their work based on these very limited conditions, and you allowed that, Minister.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

There are a number of those organizations who are in fact still receiving funding, Irene--

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

You were part of that.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond, BC]

A point of order.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

The organizations that you have highlighted are in fact receiving funding and delivering projects in our new way of delivery.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

The National Association of Women and the Law?

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

When we took the reins--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I appreciate that there is some leverage in the questions and answers, and I don't have to have a point of order every two seconds that someone dares to question the minister. So let's just get on with the timing, please.

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

A point of order, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes, Mr. Calandra.

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

I believe that's maybe only the third point of order we've had, or the second point of order. I don't think that's excessive in over an hour. If you would show a bit of respect to your colleagues around the table, I know I would appreciate that. This isn't your committee; it's our committee. I think it's going quite well. People are getting their questions in, and your interpretation of the number of points of order isn't quite necessary, so if you'll just allow the minister and the questions to continue, that would be great. I think on occasion we could do without your comments on what you deem to be appropriate on the use of a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Calandra, are you questioning my chairing of this meeting? If you are, please state so now.

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

If I could finish my point of order--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Calandra, you are in fact questioning the chair.

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

If I could finish my point of order--