Evidence of meeting #28 for Status of Women in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was research.
A recording is available from Parliament.
6:20 p.m.
Liberal
6:20 p.m.
Conservative
Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
As a matter of record, I'll just make a general comment. I think to a degree we might be getting ahead of ourselves here with respect to ruling out things like research and advocacy. For example, under the terms and conditions, research and polling activities that aren't directly tied to the project would not be eligible, but research when it's inherently part of the project that's put forward is an absolutely legitimate part of an exercise that would advance the cause and advance the kinds of issues that are being talked about, the objectives here in the cases.
Similarly, it falls to the applicant to try to define the scope of how these objectives should be put forward. In fact, what they say is essentially that the applicant must demonstrate through the content of the project proposal just how these objectives could be achieved. I think there's a fairly broad berth here in terms of how one can frame these proposals to get the outcomes you're looking for. That's just in the greatest of respect to the previous comments.
I also note in here issues around entrepreneurship specifically relating to violence against women. These are all part and parcel of the kinds of issues that I think speak directly to notions around inequality that have been roundly discussed here this afternoon.
I would invite your comments on that thought, but I would certainly encourage your wise and experienced organizations to look at how these terms and conditions can in fact be put to good use for the women you represent.
I encourage any response to that.
6:25 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
It's hard to respond without asking a question.
6:25 p.m.
President, Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women - Newfoundland and Labrador
We've always had to use our creativity. It sounds like we're being encouraged to do that even more.
Research that can go nowhere is not helpful. As for the terms and conditions, women have been meeting objectives in their project applications for a long time. That's not new. We're still at a loss; respectfully, we're still very much at a loss--but creativity? Yes, rather than advocacy, we may be experts in something soon; I don't know.
6:25 p.m.
Member, Fédération des femmes du Québec
I agree with you, research is often required in order to define the objectives of a project. That is obvious, and there will probably be some way to tie in some aspect of research. However, in many cases, a great deal of research has to be done in order to identify the issue before undertaking a series of projects, and that is where the problem lies. That's the main problem that will be caused by the cuts to independent research. More extensive research, research that is carried out over a year or 18 months for the benefit of groups that are working on concrete projects will be subjected to cuts, and that is what we are worried about. I understand what you are saying and I am convinced that it will be possible to cover some research aspects in a given project.
6:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Thank you all very much for your participation today. It has been very interesting. Ms. Chappell, especially for you, for overcoming the barriers as you had to do to get here today, thank you very much.
We will have another session of hearings next Wednesday evening. Following the break we'll attempt to submit a report based on what we've heard in our hearings.
We will adjourn now. We will get together tomorrow morning at eleven o'clock to go over our draft report on human trafficking.
Thank you all very much.
The meeting is adjourned.