Evidence of meeting #42 for Status of Women in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Okay. Can I let...?
Do you have in front of you the list of witnesses the clerk tells me has been circulated, and a revised work plan on the economic security of women? Does every one of you have it in your possession?
Liberal
Conservative
Helena Guergis Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
Could we go back in camera for a moment, please?
[Proceedings continue in camera]
[Public proceedings resume]
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Order.
We now have before us a revised work plan on the economic security of women, and a list of witnesses. I would entertain any discussion on the matter.
Just to update you on some information, some witnesses that Madame Demers had suggested are not on this list. They'll be updated accordingly.
There's a list of 32-plus witnesses, and one of the areas.... If you look at the list of witnesses, those from numbers 10 to 16 deal with the pension issue. As part of our economic security study, keeping in mind the timeframe within which we want to do it, do you wish to keep pension splitting as part of this study, deadline June? If you do, we keep the witnesses. If you don't, we remove the witnesses.
Yes...?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Pension splitting is on.
Yes, Ms. Smith...or Ms. Minna. I'm calling everybody Ms. Smith today.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
That's okay.
Just to clarify, KAIROS is on the list twice, as is the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants. It appears under OCASI and then as Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Okay.
And a few of the witnesses we've already heard from--we know who they are--but there's still quite a large list.
Yes, Ms. Neville.
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
I don't have specific recommendations, but what I don't see on the list, and what I think we have to follow up on, is a rural component that's significant. Certainly we don't have an aboriginal component. I know we have the Native Women's Association, but there are other organizations that deal with economic opportunities for aboriginal women.
As well, number 26 on the list is the National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women—
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
What about OCASI, the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants?
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Madam Chair, I know it's very important to have immigrant women represented. Would you give me a bit of leeway to either talk to NOIVMWC or find one or two other organizations? I know that OCASI is one umbrella...but there are a couple of others.
I just think it's a perspective we need to hear, so if you wouldn't mind....
Thanks.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Ms. Neville, Ms. Mathyssen, Ms. Smith, and then Ms. Guergis.
Ms. Neville.
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
You know what? Pass over me for a minute. I'll come back.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Women with disabilities: I would like to see that included on the list, Madam Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
So it's the rural component, the aboriginal component, women with disabilities, and immigrant women that we need.
Ms. Smith.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
I just wonder how we're going to get the single mom represented. We have talked a little bit about single moms raising families and the challenges they have, and I don't see that reflected in this list. Am I missing something here?
We had said that we needed to have that aspect to it--not just senior women, not just immigrant women, but the single mom from any ethnic background raising children, facing challenges--and I don't see that reflected here.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Ms. Smith, if you have an agency that represents that, we would love to have that information. Send it to the clerk, please.
Conservative
Helena Guergis Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
I had sent a list of pension organizations, and unfortunately, I didn't get a chance today, or even now, to go through the list to confirm that all those I had forwarded to the clerk are still on this list. I forwarded a number of pension organizations that I wanted to come forward to talk about this issue.
Liberal
