Status of Women Committee on April 9th, 2014

[Michèle Boutin]

I would say that universities are old boys' networks in many ways in that systemic biases are still alive in some institutions. Many institutions are trying to break them down and treat everybody fairly. Women are not the only ones. Visible minorities and people with disabilities face the same kinds of issues. I think everybody recognizes there's more work to be done and that we need to treat everybody fairly.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you.

Dr. Konrad, we heard recommendations with regard to female role models. What other recommendations would you have or would Ivey have to ensure that women have the same opportunities to succeed in business?

[Dr. Alison M. Konrad]

I would hesitate to speak for Ivey, so let me just say my comments are my own.

Linking women to networks is very valuable, and it's very powerful to link younger entry-level women to senior leaders, both men and women. Research shows that young women who have both men and women mentors and sponsors are more likely to succeed and to go higher in business.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Do you have any ideas or practical suggestions on how to do that?

[Dr. Alison M. Konrad]

I found that our Ivey alumni network is very responsive to my requests to link them to our Ivey HBA women, for example. If the call states explicitly that this is an initiative to move more women into leadership.... We are including both men and women. Indeed young men take my women in leadership course and they get connected to these mentorship networks as well.

I don't discriminate. Once everyone gets interested in the idea that we want men as well as women to support having more women in leadership—

[The Chair, NDP, Hélène LeBlanc]

Thank you.

[Dr. Alison M. Konrad]

In fact we think that this is very valuable.

[The Chair, NDP, Hélène LeBlanc]

Thank you, Dr. Konrad.

Mrs. Sellah, you have perhaps seven minutes.

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

This is the first time I've had so much time to ask questions. I find this topic very interesting and I assume all of my female colleagues feel the same.

My question is for Ms. Boutin, the Executive Director of the Canada Research Chairs Program. In 2011, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women heard from Hugh Armstrong, a professor at Carleton University, who gave evidence about abuse in long-term residential care facilities.

During his testimony, he said that in the future, similar projects would no longer be funded by SSHRC. He said:

I think this was a disastrous decision on their part. They basically said that they don't get enough money, and since CIHR—the Canadian Institutes for Health Research—gets a lot more, why don't they do everything to do with health?

Why was that decision made? What broader implication could this limitation have on research related to women's health?

[Michèle Boutin]

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is mandated to fund all health-related research, including social issues related to health. This is rather recent, since the CIHR was created only about 10 or 12 years ago. The change in the mandate of what was previously the Medical Research Council of Canada happened gradually. In recent years, SSHRC has decided to allow the CIHR to subsidize research that falls within its mandate. Research is always subsidized, but by another organization, the CIHR.

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

If I understand correctly, this is simply a question of a transfer of responsibility.

[Michèle Boutin]

That's right.

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Thank you for the clarification.

My next question is for the representatives of the Development Bank of Canada. Your website indicates that BDC provides Canadian entrepreneurs with timely and customized financial and consulting services in segments of the market that are underserved. It also states that its activities also include developing markets, particularly for aboriginal and women entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs over age 55.

I know that women entrepreneurs face major obstacles. Getting financial assistance to help with child care is one example. Are there any funds available that could help overcome these kinds of obstacles?

[Gina Gale]

I have to respond in English.

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

That's not a problem. We have translation.

[Gina Gale]

In terms of what BDC offers, BDC does not offer financing for child care or that type of thing. Our financing is related to business needs only, for things such as working capital or the purchasing of equipment and those types of things.

[The Chair, NDP, Hélène LeBlanc]

Thank you very much, Mrs. Sellah.

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

It's over already!

[The Chair, NDP, Hélène LeBlanc]

I believe we are going to hear the bell very soon.

I would like to take a moment to sincerely thank all the witnesses, who provided us with so much valuable information. Thank you for making yourselves available and for being so courteous, even though I had to interrupt you at times.

Our next meeting will be held in a little over two weeks, on Monday, April 28 at 3:30 p.m.

Thank you and have a good day.

The meeting is adjourned.