Status of Women committee  Thank you. I'd first like to thank the committee for the opportunity to appear here today as a witness to address the important topic of maternal and child health. We're certainly very humbled to appear alongside the variety of esteemed organizations that have appeared both today and on the other two days of hearings dedicated to this topic.

Status of Women committee  I can start with the last one. In response to the question on the G8, I think the important thing is that we move forward with an integrated and comprehensive approach. I think it's perhaps what The Lancet article suggested in terms of not leaving out pieces of it. The evidence shows that a comprehensive strategy that addresses sexual and reproductive health and rights as part of a strategy for maternal and child health is critical.

Status of Women committee  Yes, absolutely.

Status of Women committee  I have a couple of comments. It's important to refer back to the many consensus documents that exist in the international context in terms of what is required. I also think it's important to refer back to the Paris declaration on aid effectiveness, whereby we agree to be directed by individual countries in terms of what they need for their health systems and for their development dollars.

Status of Women committee  Sure. Absolutely. I think we need to follow what's there internationally and not try to export our own values, but rather--

Status of Women committee  Fair enough.

Status of Women committee  I would just echo what Bridget said. I think she is talking generally about clinics that might be providing sexual and reproductive health services--

Status of Women committee  Some may be, yes, which would potentially put them in a different position--

Status of Women committee  I was just going to comment that I think there are several examples that have been very public in the media where organizations involved in development have had their funding revoked, including KAIROS, which was one of the first examples that we understood. That has been in the news.

Status of Women committee  If I could just clarify, the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health, which is the Canadian member of IPPF, does not actually receive funding from IPPF. We're accredited by them as an international organization, and we're certainly very proud to be associated with them, but because the majority of IPPF funding is comprised of dollars from donor governments that is really directed to the global south, we're not actually a recipient member organization, but rather considered a donor country.

Foreign Affairs committee  I appreciate that.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you. I'd like to take the opportunity first to thank the committee for having us here today. I'm certainly very honoured to have been asked to appear alongside my other civil society colleagues here today. I'll just take a moment and introduce the organization that I represent.

Foreign Affairs committee  I'll just ask you to imagine that I'm Pierre La Ramée from the International Planned Parenthood Federation office in New York, which is the headquarters for our western hemisphere region. Reading from his notes, I'd like to begin by telling you a little bit about my organization, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, or IPPF, which is a critical part of the global maternal and reproductive health architecture.

Foreign Affairs committee  I have just a couple of little additions. I referenced in my statement the existing architecture of maternal health initiatives and the civil society organizations engaged. I think that's a really important mechanism in looking at opportunities for investment in this strategy.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. No, we're not funded by CIDA. The Canadian Federation for Sexual Health national organization doesn't receive any Canadian government funding. Although we're an accredited member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, we don't receive funding from them, because of course the dollars they receive from donor governments, such as the Canadian government, are directed internationally to the global south.