Status of Women Committee on Oct. 17th, 2006

[Florence Ievers]

Yes, there is the department responsible for gender analysis, research, policy analysis, communications and consultations. You know, we can review our budget and try to see where we can realize certain savings. I believe that in our individual areas, we can all find ways of tightening our belts. That is how we will save money. We also have to ask ourselves whether a particular service is still relevant or whether it can be combined with other things. As I said a little earlier, everything is on the table. We are obviously seeking greater efficiency, but we will have to look very closely at our activities and determine what is the most likely to yield positive results, in the interests of all Canadians.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you, Ms. Ievers.

Ms. Mathyssen, go ahead, please.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

Thank you, Ms. Ievers.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I'm quite impressed--

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Sorry, Ms. Mathyssen. We will have a speaker from this side.

Mrs. Smith, go ahead, please.

We'll go back to you, Ms. Mathyssen. I'm sorry. My apologies.

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Thank you.

Thank you, Florence, for your presentation today. Could you comment on something? While we're looking at the budgets here today, in the estimates, could you go over something once again? Clearly there is room for a $5 million cut in terms of efficiencies. So it's not talking about taking away from women's programs. Could you speak a bit about the women's programming, the $10.8 million and what that does, and what that means in terms of the estimates we're talking about here. Clearly, efficiencies and accountability and transparency and lack of waste are very important in all departments. It's taxpayers' money; it's not our money. So could you speak to that a bit this morning?

[Florence Ievers]

I will ask Jackie Claxton to tell you what the program does and what results it brings.

[Jackie Claxton]

I think as you saw last week, we have a very clear direction for the renewal of the terms and conditions. The focus is on the economic, social, and cultural situation of women. If you look at the documents, you'll see that the long-term outcome of the program is the full participation of women in the economic, social, and cultural situations or life in Canada. Translating that into concrete, tangible reality means that literally hundreds of women's and other organizations at local, regional, and national levels across the country will be supported to carry out concrete strategies. I know that's somewhat broad, but I think it's one of the underpinnings of the program, that we have a broad outlook and that we are able to support groups working on a cross-section of issues.

Currently, two of the critical areas that the departmental agency has identified are aboriginal women and economic security. If we look at aboriginal women, we can look at the concrete strategies being supported in the Yukon, in Newfoundland, in P.E.I., and in New Brunswick. I'm just thinking off the top of my head here, but this just gives you an example. I think those are concrete examples of the approach of the program, which is direct participation. These are the women being affected by the issues, who are working together to make a difference, to make a change in their lives.

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Thank you.

Anybody on the committee, please feel free to...whoever you think is best. I'm sure Florence will give some direction on who that might be.

Clearly there have been a number of years in which, in my view, there hasn't been a huge amount of accountability. There were many reports, many studies, and many things that were very good at the time, I'm sure, but now we believe, on this side of the House, that it really is time for action. So when we're talking about this tightening up and this awareness of using every dollar to benefit women on the ground, we're talking about women in our communities all across our nation who need the support and need the help to forward the cause of making sure that women get the economic support and the kinds of tools they need to continue to grow in society. I believe very strongly that all women are equal under the Constitution. It's the fact that the barriers are out there that has to be addressed. Whether you're a man or a woman or a child, there are many barriers you face on a regular basis.

Looking at the estimates today, we see that there is a considerable amount of emphasis put on these on-the-ground kinds of initiatives. Here at Status of Women, I know we're doing some study on human trafficking as well, and we're doing some very concrete things for which there are timelines, accountability, and transparency.

Could you comment on some of the very important things that are being done for women all across this nation, and aboriginal women in particular? I know Sisters in Spirit and initiatives like that are being supported. Would anybody like to comment on that?

[Florence Ievers]

You can talk about the issue of trafficking. That's an issue that came to our radar screen a number of years ago, when not very many people in the country were prepared to look at it. Status of Women Canada did something at that time. A number of departments were working on pieces of that puzzle but were not necessarily looking at it from a gender perspective. What we set out to do was commission some research to find out more about the magnitude or the kind of problem that existed.

We also co-chaired, with the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, a round table of the appropriate officials, meaning officials from Justice, the Solicitor General, Foreign Affairs, CIC obviously, and Status of Women, to look at the different components. That work led to a more gendered, I would say, protocol that was signed in Palermo on human trafficking and smuggling. Canada's contribution was important in engendering that, and I would say Status of Women was really part of the catalyst that made it happen.

That also led domestically to the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. In that act, there is an offence on human trafficking that can bring penalties of up to a million dollars and life in prison.

So that's how Status of Women contributed to that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

Ms. Mathyssen.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you very much.

I wish we could indeed add more money to this department, because it seems to me that the work you do is quite remarkable. You described an incredible array of activities and advocacies.

I'm quite interested in what you said about the contribution that SWC made in regard to protecting women connected with trafficking--immigrants and refugees. Obviously that contribution came from research reports and the work that women's groups were doing on the ground, which leads me to my question. How does the department plan to consult with women's organizations now on the key public policy issues in the next year if groups that receive money from women's programs are no longer able to do the research or engage in advocacy of the kind that Ms. Smith and you were talking about?

I also wondered how SWC plans to fulfill its goal of development of an equitable public policy if women's groups on the ground that do the work you were describing with communities across the country can't do the necessary work they need to do to document inequities and provide the solutions that we've been seeking in regard to trafficking and other issues.

[Florence Ievers]

The good news in all of this is that the funding was not cut for the women's program. The $10.8 million remains as it was, and it will continue to go to groups and organizations and individuals. Although there will be new terms and conditions, it nevertheless will go directly to promoting action on the ground in order to improve the lives of women.

On consultation, that activity can continue through the women's program, but we also have ongoing consultations with stakeholders. Last year, in 2005, we conducted a number of consultations across the country. We had six regional consultations and one national one, which was complemented with electronic consultations that reached almost 3,000 Canadians.

We intend to continue to consult. The minister, since she has taken office, has had a number of round tables, and will continue to do so, with interested groups and individuals. For example, she has had a round table with aboriginal women and she has met with a number of organizations and individuals as that has gone along.

Other departments working on issues that have an impact on women's lives also do consultations. I think of Foreign Affairs—they do that on human rights—and a number of other departments. For example, this fall the government is undertaking consultations on matrimonial property as it affects aboriginal women.

So there are a number of activities that don't necessarily have to be generated by Status of Women, but they can help to improve the lives of women and help the government and policy-makers to engender and make good policy as it impacts on women.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

So the impact of the work done by women in the community through their research....

[Florence Ievers]

Research, other activities they may have, will contribute to the knowledge we have to move issues forward--that's always been a very valuable input, the results of the initiatives undertaken under the program.

The member previously mentioned questions of accountability. We have been building more accountability into the program over the last few years. Now each initiative must be evaluated, so we get tangible results from the funds we give. All that work done by the community and by women's groups and others across the country informs our approaches to building gender equality and equality for women.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Yes, and clearly very importantly. But I'm still mystified by how, when they can no longer do the research, they're going to fulfill that very important goal.

I want to continue. What resources are now being allocated toward reporting on Canada's next periodic report to the UN committee responsible for monitoring our compliance with CEDAW? Are these resources adequate to implement the recommendations from the last report, where we're seriously behind?

[Florence Ievers]

The preparations for Canada's next report to the UN under the CEDAW convention are being coordinated by Canadian Heritage. They are responsible for coordinating those responses. Status of Women is contributing, and its sphere of activities in a number of departments across the government as well as provinces and territories will be factored into providing Canada's response, and that is due in early 2007.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Do you feel confident you have enough resources to do the job as you would like with regard to the reporting?

[Florence Ievers]

We at Status of Women are contributing to the report, and we're fine with what we need to do.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Does Status of Women Canada plan to work with the finance department on the gender-based analysis in the upcoming federal budget? There's supposed to be a gender champion in the finance department now, so will SWC have the opportunity to ensure that the 2006-07 budget will be fair and equitable to women?

[Florence Ievers]

We are working closely with all central agencies, the Privy Council Office, Treasury Board, and Finance. There is a champion in Finance, and they have already undertaken some training in gender-based analysis.

Perhaps Hélène can add more to what I'm saying.

[Hélène Dwyer-Renaud, Director, Gender-Based Analysis and Accountability Directorate and Research Directorate, Status of Women Canada]

Thank you very much for that question.

The finance department is one of the central agencies that has made a commitment, and you've seen that in the government response to the standing committee's report on GBA. They have been starting to do a lot of training within their own department. We're hoping they'll be continuing to build on that expertise and use it in their areas of authority.

We continue to work with them on a regular basis, and I hope we will see some of those results in the next budget.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you.

Ms. Stronach.

[Belinda Stronach, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Thank you.

My question is around the change in the mandate or funding framework for the program. What effect is this going to have on the budget cuts? You mentioned earlier the programs that will be kept on will be the ones that meet the objectives and the outcomes. If some of the objectives have been changed--equality was dropped, social justice was dropped--and others were added, how will the budget cuts affect these programs? If programs were there to promote equality and equality is dropped from the mandate, will those be at risk?