Status of Women committee  Could you repeat it, please?

Status of Women committee  Women and Gender Equality Canada does not provide frontline services. We provide support and funding to civil society organizations to enable them to support individuals and at-risk groups. I don't have any details with me of the case you're referencing.

Status of Women committee  Yes.

Status of Women committee  Thank you for the question. In budget 2021, as I mentioned, $601.3 million was provided, including funding for WAGE to deliver on a number of items. One of these was actually providing COVID emergency funding. Since April 2020, the department has provided over $259 million in COVID emergency funding to 1,400 organizations, including women's shelters, sexual assault centres and other organizations providing critical supports and services to those experiencing gender-based violence.

Status of Women committee  Thanks. The funding that WAGE has received has been sent out the door to those emergency shelters, and that has impacted a significant number of women. In addition, we are working with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation on the national housing strategy and with Infrastructure Canada on reaching homes under pillar five of the national action plan to end gender-based violence.

Status of Women committee  I have a couple of quick comments. First, under the national action plan, there is a pillar for responsive justice systems. That's to recognize the challenges and work with our partners to have a responsive justice system to support those who are subjected to gender-based violence, including human trafficking.

Status of Women committee  Thank you for the question. As mentioned, we recently launched our national action plan on ending gender-based violence. That is a federal, provincial and territorial plan that enables us to work collaboratively not only at the FPT level but also with indigenous partners, civil society organizations, researchers, frontline service providers and other experts, as well as victims or survivors and their families.

Status of Women committee  The plan provides a framework through which federal, provincial, and territorial governments will have a Canada free of gender-based violence which supports victims, survivors, and their families. The plan is aligned with and complements the national strategy to combat human trafficking, along with the missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people national action plan and the federal pathway.

Status of Women committee  Good day, and thank you. My name is Crystal Garrett-Baird. I am the director general responsible for working to address gender-based violence at Women and Gender Equality Canada. I would like to begin by acknowledging that the land I am coming to you from is the traditional and unceded territory of the Abegweit Mi'kmaq first nation.