Thank you, Madam Chair.
There are so many questions; I'm going to try to get started. I'm sure my colleagues on this side will have lots more and we'll have more rounds as we go along.
When the minister appeared in front of this committee just last week, she said that women had been funded for 25 years for advocacy. Basically, she said you've had 25 years; that's plenty. She didn't put it in those words, but that's what she suggested, because she said you've had 25 years of advocacy. She also said that advocacy and equality work and all of that can still take place. There's no reason why it can't take place; it just shouldn't be paid for by government.
Some of you have already given some reasons that this is the case, but I'd like to hear from you, because that seems to be the position of the government and the minister at this point. I'd like to hear from you, because everybody keeps asking, well, how exactly? Why can't they advocate? This is not the core. So I'm asking two or three questions.
First, tell me exactly what suffers. Some of you have already alluded to that, but tell me exactly why women can't do advocacy. Why do they need the money after 25 years? I'm being the devil's advocate here. Why do we still need money for research and advocacy after 25 years?
It's a simple question, but go ahead. Ms. Greckol can start, or Ms. Harper, and Madame Lalande can finish up.