The reason I asked that is not related specifically to HRSDC. One of the things I found in my riding was that women were being questioned by Canada Revenue Agency about the child tax credit. In some cases, where a woman was alone and had applied for the credit, she was being pursued, shall we say, and told she was going to be cut off. In cases where they had been alone for a number of months or years, they were told the credit would be taxed back.
It seems to me that we should have advocates in the various departments for women, so there can be something in place to prevent that kind of unfortunate situation.
These women were being asked to provide three pieces of information to prove they didn't live with a man, and three pieces were being asked from the male counterpart, to assure Revenue Canada they were indeed separated. Sometimes the partner was hostile and refused to provide that. These women were distraught. They were terrified of paying back thousands of dollars, or that they wouldn't be believed, or even worse, that their privacy was being invaded because they had to go to the landlord and ask for a letter saying that they were living alone.
I think this kind of advocacy is important in each and every department. Is it something that would work in your department? Is it something that should be a part of every department?