Thank you, Madam Chair.
Witnesses, I want to start by thanking you again. What you're telling us is very helpful. I think it really gives us a perspective on how we can continue to support women entrepreneurs in international trade.
The Library of Parliament often prepares questions for us, and there's one I find really interesting and want to explore. If you don't mind, I'll read you the background to the question, which some of you may want to answer. Empirical evidence suggests that a firm’s inability to obtain as much credit as it needs will tend to reduce its exports. According to a 2020 report prepared by two United Nations agencies, women obtain smaller loans on less favourable terms than men because they encounter discrimination from financial institutions around the world. Moreover, in 2019, Global Affairs Canada observed that women might encounter violence and harassment when travelling outside the country, especially at border crossings, thereby limiting their ability and willingness to participate in international trade and investment.
In Canada, do women entrepreneurs who export find it difficult to get financing? If so, what are their challenges? Also, do women entrepreneurs get smaller loans than their male counterparts?