Status of Women Committee on Feb. 1st, 2007

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Who will advocate for them, Minister? I don't understand that. Who will speak up for the need for more shelters? Who will speak up for the issues that are identified for women on the street?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

They will continue to advocate, I would hope, and I would encourage them.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Who? How? Where?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

What we are saying is that they will not be funded by government money to support that. They will advocate as do many other organizations who do not receive government money for advocacy.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Do you think the banks will help them?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

You know, with respect, we have many sectors that have many needs, and they advocate, certainly.

And if I know one thing about women, it's that they will speak loudly and they will speak with great clarity. But this government has chosen not to use taxpayers' dollars to fund organizations that advocate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

We next have Ms. Grewal for five minutes.

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Madam Minister, for appearing before us, and for your time and your presentation.

Madam Minister, much concern has been expressed about the removal of the word “equality” from the terms and conditions of Status of Women Canada. I note the new terms seek to achieve the full participation of women in the economic, social, and cultural life of Canada.

Can you please explain how this new objective addresses their concerns about equality?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Thank you.

I guess the best way I can do this is just to reiterate the fundamental principles. In order for women in Canada to realize their equality, for women in Canada to have an equal opportunity--that's what equality essentially says. You should have equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits of this country, to enjoy the responsibilities and the benefits of this country. We have to have equal opportunity.

The challenges that women have are not being denied. In fact, they're being identified. What we're saying is that because we believe women are equal and should have equal recognition in all aspects of Canadian life, we have the task of reducing or removing the challenges they are facing.

Madam Chair, if I could provide a correction in order to be very clear and very precise, I would like to say that this government has decided not to fund organizations for their advocacy activities. I have indicated to many groups who have spoken to me that they too, if they have projects that will help women directly in their daily lives.... It's not the organization; it's the project and how the money is being used that this government has decided not to support.

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Madam Minister, have you talked to your provincial colleagues about the changes? What have they said on your future plans?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Yes. As I reported earlier, we have talked. Prior to the House break, at the last meeting we had, I had offered a separate meeting for further discussion on the new terms and conditions. As a result, they have agreed they would like to have that meeting. I will be arranging that meeting, and we'll do it as soon as possible.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

You have two minutes, if you want to share.

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

Thank you.

Minister, I have one more thing I want to ask you to address. I'm very gratified by what I've heard today simply because the numerous women's organizations have been very mindful that Status of Women now is not a closed thing. It's open to everyone, and it's not based on certain advocacy groups or certain friends of government. It's open to the Canadian public.

Could you please talk a little bit about the application and the kinds of people or organizations or individual groups that can apply?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

I certainly will.

I would say that the qualifications and the eligibility are clearly spelled out. They certainly don't reference any limitations as far as the organizations are concerned. They indicate profit, non-profit, etc. They indicate a requirement to be a registered corporation or non-profit organization because of the accountability as to the establishment, the organization, the kind of governance, the kind of management of the resources that would be there within the community organizations or any organizations, so I would look at this.

As you know, the Department of Canadian Heritage has a number of grant and contribution programs outside the Status of Women. The qualifications are no different from those spelled out here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you, Minister.

Madame Demers, pour cinq minutes.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Minister, you alluded in your presentation to women who are the victims of human trafficking and you stated that the former Minister had established a new program for these women. As part of the program, rather than treat these women like criminals, temporary visas of up to 120 days are issued to the women and they are offered any necessary health care free of charge.

Can you tell me, first of all, if physical and mental health services are provided? Secondly, do you feel the level of care provided is adequate? Do you not think that special steps should be taken to ensure that these women are not sent back to their country of origin and forced to resume their old lives? If deported, they will be forced to live under the same conditions with the same persons who were responsible for making them victims of human trafficking.

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Thank you for that question.

As I understand it, they are as accessible to the health services as any other Canadian would be accessible under the existing programs as well, so they are treated no differently from any Canadian citizen as far as accessing health care or the range of health care.

I also would like to thank you for asking if this is sufficient, and what the next steps are. That's why I'm looking forward to receiving the report from this committee. I hope you will give us some very concrete suggestions as to what next steps could be done. This committee has taken a very proactive and a very positive action, and I know you are moving into other areas. I look forward to recommendations and suggestions that might come forward from the committee on looking at your next topic, which is the economic wealth of women.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Madame Deschamps, please.

[Johanne Deschamps, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Madam Minister, I'd like to focus for a moment on the fact that organizations demanding rights for women are now being excluded from the Women's Program. As you know, on September 25 last, your government also abolished the Court Challenges Program which helped many agencies defend certain rights, notably those of women's groups, before the courts.

In your opinion, Madam Minister, was the decision to do away with this program a wise one? What options do women now have when it comes to defending their rights?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

I think the court challenges program was set up to fund court challenges to the government itself. I would suggest that it's about taking the full responsibility that each one of us has to ensure that the rights of every individual, within any legislation or any act taken by the government, are equitably and fairly and judiciously applied. That's where the first responsibility lies.

I would also suggest that the rights of women should be defended by this committee. When it looks at any bill or any program of any government, its responsibility.... You can certainly listen to different organizations, groups, viewpoints, etc., and that's what I would suggest. We have a committee whose responsibility it is to work on behalf of women. You have the ability to review any piece of legislation or call before you any minister if you have concerns.

The court challenges program, as you know, was specifically set up to take a government to court. I ask you to be very diligent in the responsibilities we all share together.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you, Minister.

We'll now go on to Ms. Mathyssen for five minutes.

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

Thank you.

With all due respect, Minister, this committee asked for proactive pay equity legislation, and we were denied. So I'm a little concerned about the influence we have with this government.

I did want to come back to the consultations. I didn't get a full answer on that. At any point in these cost-saving consultations, did you actually talk to the staff in the regional offices to find out what kind of expertise they could bring to this process?

[Florence Ievers]

As I said, we had built on processes--a consultation process and a governance process--which we had undertaken quite some time before. So we had the basis of that information on which to make our decisions. But the director general of the program did informally go to the regions and have discussions with the staff of the program on things in general.

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

Okay.

Now, part of the rationale for all of this--getting rid of staff and closing down offices--is this notion that SWC spends 31¢ of every dollar of the money that they have on delivery. I'm wondering what analysis you did to come to this figure of 31¢. And if you did analyze that, can you provide that to the committee so that we can have a look?

[Florence Ievers]

That number was first mentioned in the evaluation of the women's program that was done in 2005, and that report is available. We'll make sure you get it.