Thank you for coming.
I'm going to ask three questions. If you could write them down, then I'd like to get an answer from each of you on any of the questions you'd like to answer.
Regarding the first question, we've been fighting for months to get this put back. It's motherhood; obviously you should have equality, but that message isn't getting across. So I'm wondering if you could help us with any examples.
Your example of Joanne was perfect. But examples of how the money that's being cut really affects particular women...the government is saying it's just administrative and not having a real effect.
Regarding the second question, a lot of your organizations involve volunteers, and as you said, with this tiny cut of money, we're actually losing a lot more money because of the value of volunteers. They contribute $2 billion annually to the GDP in this country. Could you please comment on the fact that with this tiny bit of money, a lot more value is lost with the volunteers we're losing? In fact, they cut volunteerism too, but we won't get into that.
Regarding my third question, in this centuries-long struggle that women have had for equality, your champion in Parliament was the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women. I'd like to know if she's been helpful in your struggle.