Thank you.
Yes, Ms. Gilbert.
Evidence of meeting #31 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 quebec.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #31 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 quebec.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:10 p.m.
President, Association féminine d'éducation et d'action sociale
We have another major concern, which is that funding will also be available to for-profit organizations. They already have greater means than we do. Much of the work carried out by groups such as ours depends entirely on volunteers. Indeed, the Women's Program is, in my opinion, one of the most cost-effective programs delivered by the Canadian government, given that it involves tens of thousands of hours of volunteer work carried out on the ground. It is the eyes and ears of government.
We are also concerned because for-profit organizations will have access to resources that we probably do not have in terms of developing, implementing and promoting their projects. Implementing a project necessarily involves a considerable number of hours, given the follow-up that is required and the assessments that have to be carried out. There is no possibility of fraud with projects carried out under the Women's Program: the files are really very closely monitored.
4:10 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Canada
The point I'd like to make is that the YWCA is spread right across the country, so organizations such as the YWCA in Edmonton and the YWCA in Kitchener-Waterloo have been able to utilize the regional offices, particularly around issues of women getting into politics. They've been able to launch successful projects to increase women's participation in politics and have had amazing results. With the limitations that exist, we won't be able to get funding for those kinds of initiatives.
One of the things I hear about most from our members across the country is the limited access there is now. We have a YWCA in Yellowknife and another in Vancouver, and the Vancouver office is one that is targeted. So the physical access alone is an issue for us.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Thank you for joining us today to put forth your opinions and your information.
I am interested, because as of now you still get the funding; it's in place until 2007. I am hoping you are aware of that.
I know you're here today in an advocacy position, and I think that's very good. You've done much good work and I commend you for that.
Right now, taking a look at the criteria and everything we have before us, I would like to direct a question to Ms. Steele. Being a woman in the political field, and talking about wanting equality in the political field, I got the impression you think there should be a 50-50 ratio of men and women in the Parliament.
Can you tell me how your organization has helped that out, or what would you advocate to make that happen so that women have a more equal voice?
4:15 p.m.
Spokesperson, Federal Representation, Collectif Féminisme et Démocratie
The Collectif Féminisme et Démocratie mobilizes women around four principles. As far as we are concerned, the strategy does not focus only on equal representation for women and men, even though that is the most important thrust. Since 2002, we have been mobilizing around democratic reform in Quebec, and particularly reform with respect to the voting process. What is on the table in Quebec are reforms aimed at adopting a compensatory mixed plurality proportional representation model.
Within that very model, we have presented a number of demands with a view to obtaining a formal commitment to equality in the actual body of the legislation. We have also asked that lists provide for mandatory alternation between female and male candidates elected based on proportional representation. As I mentioned, the Minister has demonstrated a firm intention to move in that direction.
We also asked that every political party be required to adopt an equality action plan, as well as an action plan on ethnocultural diversity, in order to also enhance male-female diversity.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
I don't want to use up all my time on this one question. You have answered it adequately. I thank you for that.
Basically it's an advocacy program that you have put forth for this type of initiative. How much money did your association get from the Status of Women prior to our side of the House coming into government?
4:15 p.m.
Spokesperson, Federal Representation, Collectif Féminisme et Démocratie
The first time that Collectif Féminisme et Démocratie submitted a project, it was not accepted. The second time — and that is a recent occurrence — we received $30,000. This is a small amount of money that allowed us to hire a project manager, among other things. I should also say that prior to that, we had received funding from the Government of Quebec through the À Égalité Pour Décider initiative. I advise you to take a close look at that program, because it is an extremely positive initiative.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
So you had $30,000 and you put it into programs for women on the ground.
4:15 p.m.
Spokesperson, Federal Representation, Collectif Féminisme et Démocratie
What I just said and what I talked about earlier is that we have a range of activities. For example, we provide training in a number of areas, including on democratic issues, on our electoral process, on how to increase the number of women in political, on the effect of representation on women's equality both de facto and in public policies. We have also organized societal debates.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
I have more questions, so please be as concise as possible.
Our government has kept all the money for funding--the $10.8 million for programs for women, plus the Sisters in Spirit got $1 million. No funding has been cut or reallocated in that aspect.
But if you've looked at the application, from what you describe, why wouldn't you apply for the $5 million that is available for women's programs? It sounds like you do some very useful things.
4:15 p.m.
Spokesperson, Federal Representation, Collectif Féminisme et Démocratie
The new criteria refer to women's participation in Canada's economic, social and cultural life. Nowhere does it say that women's political participation is a legitimate area of examination in terms of applications and projects. However, we provide training with the express purpose of equipping women to be engaged in democratic life and political action.
I would also like to ask you whether it's at the domestic level that you would prevent women from participating in political life.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
I'm sorry, Madam, I'm trying to get two questions in here.
Political parties train women as well, but what I'm saying is for something like you're doing, looking at the application, you could use it as the social side or the cultural side of our society. Right now your funding hasn't been cut. The application is out there. We're inviting all Canadians to apply, and I would invite you to do that. You said you were rejected once before, and then the second time around when you applied you got some applications. So I would invite you to do that.
I want to ask Ms. Senior a question. It's very interesting, in terms of the shelters you're talking about. You've done three studies, or you're into the third end of the study on shelters.
December 13th, 2006 / 4:20 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Canada
We've completed two phases of the study.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Canada
For the second part of the study we got, I believe, two hundred and twenty-five from Status of Women Canada.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Were there any shelters built as a result of that? What specific programs were put out there for women to talk about shelters, or was it a study just to look at different types of shelters?
4:20 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Canada
I actually gave you a copy of the study when we met a few months ago—
4:20 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Canada
—and the study is to look at the effectiveness of shelter provision and to hear from women, as well as shelter providers, in terms of what is working, what is not working, so that we can have a national perspective of how violence against women in the shelters is actually working in the country. That was the intent of the study.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Thank you, Ms. Smith. Your time is up.
Our next questioner is Ms. Mathyssen.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Thank you very much.
Thank you for being here.
I'm very interested in the discussion about the study that was commissioned by the YWCA. Can you explain to me what was so important about part 3? Why is it essential that we continue with part 3? What would it have shown?