Thank you, Madam Chair.
I want to thank you for being here today.
We know that, in addition to cutting the Women's Program budget, cutting budgets related to the Status of Women, and changing the ground rules, the government has also eliminated the Court Challenges Program. As well, the government has cut funding for the National Volunteerism Initiative and the Summer Career Placements program.
As members of the Bloc Québécois, we are saying that most of these initiatives are within the jurisdiction of the provinces, and yet, we know that government interference in areas of provincial jurisdiction has caused community organizations to develop certain habits, so that they now require Ottawa's assistance in order to make ends meet.
Will these budget cuts have a significant impact on you, and if so, how? Would you say that women are the primary victims?
Ms. Hrenchuk, I would like you to talk specifically about the Yukon and the abolition of the Court Challenges Program. Many aboriginal women who benefited from this program will no longer be able to do so. How are they reacting to this? Do you believe the government made a mistake when it decided to make these cuts? If you do, do you think there are enough women out there to convince it to change its position, and how exactly can we do that, if there are actually enough of us to make that happen?