I think you've pointed to a number of initiatives that we're all working on, but I think the most important culture change is the leadership from the top—from the government, from our minister. Our minister is a very activist minister. She is really gung-ho. She's taken the course, all her staff are taking the course, or have taken it. I know that at the standing committee on women, there will be a recommendation, or they're considering whether all ministers and their staff take this course so that they can then play the challenge function with their deputies.
I think it's coming from the top. There is a real sense of movement here. As I said to my deputy colleagues, because my minister has written to all her colleagues and is not shy about pressing them, as my colleague said, at the cabinet table or earlier on.... For example, on the infrastructure funding for shelters for women, that was a concerted effort made by her and all of us to really push and say that this was really important for women's issues, which bore fruit early on.
On some of the work that colleagues at Treasury Board will be doing in terms of the regulatory frameworks, we'll be looking at the regulations, which is different from legislation. There is a real rigorous impact statement and cost-benefit analysis. I think if we can tap into the regulatory side of things, and we can tap into the evaluation, which can then inform policies, I really feel very optimistic that this time around we'll be able to make progress.
You know, I'd like to say that there is this will, there is this engagement, there is this leadership, and nothing precludes us, as the democratic process unfolds, from going down the mandatory route. As our colleague has said, I think if it is mandatory, as might be necessary but we don't know yet, it's certainly not a sufficient requirement. We need the training, we need the capacity, we need all that. You could make it mandatory and it could still fail.
So let's try this approach and let's see where it goes.