Status of Women Committee on March 20th, 2007

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Thank you.

Mrs. Mathyssen, I just wondered, in light of the fact that Mrs. Smith just gave us some numbers, three published and five online.... Is that what we have?

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

The total was eight, anyway.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Have you seen those? Are they some of the ones you're talking about? Do you know that?

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

We've been in touch with the authors, who had indicated that their work was ready to be published and that they had received letters indicating it would not be, and we have had no indication from them that their work has gone ahead.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

So some of these in fact may be the eight that Mrs. Smith has been referring to, then.

So do you have a copy of that letter?

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Yes.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

No, no, I don't mean the letter you wrote to the minister. I have that. I mean the letter that you said they received from the department saying that it wasn't going to be published, or wasn't going to be finished. Do you have a copy of that letter?

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

The recipients have a copy of that letter, and we can certainly get that.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Okay, if you could give that to us, that would be great. Thanks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Madam Demers.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

I think the most important thing here, Madam Chair, is whether or not the projects have been interrupted. If the projects have been underway for three years—some projects were underway for three years and were suddenly suspended last month or the month before—I think it is important to know how many there are, because a great deal of money has been invested in these projects. We are talking about money that could still be invested or about how much this might cost. However, if $100,000 has already been invested in a project, if there is another $25,000 to be invested to complete it, and if the project has something to do with the equality of women, I think that is something we should know. We must know which projects were funded by Status of Women Canada, which were independent projects, which were interrupted, which were completed but were not acted upon, and those that were not published. I think we need to know this, Madam Chair. We have been fighting for too long for the cause of women and we have been fighting for too long to get approval for projects relevant to this cause.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Are you saying that we should amend the motion?

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Ms. Mathyssen, are you in agreement with the changes proposed by Ms. Demers?

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Yes, I think that it would be very helpful.

And just as a point of clarification in regard to Mr. Stanton's question, the money had been allocated, had been approved for these projects, and had been withdrawn. And that's the problem, that it was withdrawn.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Go ahead, Mr. Stanton.

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I appreciate that, and with the greatest of respect, the difficulty with the motion is that it really isn't clear what we're talking about here. And Madam Demers' proposed amendment really tries to unearth that. It's very difficult to support a motion that is really so general that we're not too sure what we're voting for. So I share the view that I wouldn't support this.

I agree with Madam Smith that an answer seems reasonable in this case. A question has been put, and we should wait and see what the minister's response is, and perhaps we can go from there.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Mr. Stanton raises a very valid point.

Madame Demers, would you have a proposed text for the amendment?

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

I do not have one, Madam Chair. I have just seen the motion, and as usual, I think there is a problem with the translation. I do not think projets en cours means the same thing as "outstanding projects". On a number of points, the translation is not correct, is not literal.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

So basically you're.... Help me through it and say where you want the changes put in. Because I have another option, and I would like the committee to think about it. It is that we withdraw the motion at the moment and then come back with a well-worded motion that is in agreement with whatever we're trying to do. Withdraw it at the moment, and bring it back.

I'm going by what the clerk tells me, the terminology the clerk uses. That's the terminology I am using.

Is it an option to, in good faith, take it and look at it and come up with something concrete that says that this is the number of projects that are outstanding? Because the letter states here that these were at the final stages of completion, and that's Ms. Mathyssen's major concern. So if these are at the final stage of completion, we could do some research to ask what projects these are, whether they are complete, and whether there is a list that says these are complete.

Can we come to an understanding and perhaps move forward that way? I think, then, we can all do business in an intelligent fashion.

Is it agreed? Ms. Mathyssen, are you in agreement with doing that?

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

That would be fine, as long as these projects do indeed see the light of day. That's all I'm concerned about.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Can we have a commitment, Ms. Smith? So for the projects that we feel are in limbo somewhere, you could bring us what you have, and Ms. Mathyssen will be able to check with the list, and then we can come up with something. Okay? Thank you.

Madame Demers, did you need to speak?

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

I was just saying that you are very wise as usual.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay, before everybody disappears, I've not adjourned the meeting yet.

Ms. Mathyssen, are we waiting for the amended text to come when Ms. Smith presents the list of reports she has? Do you wish to send an amended text to the clerk, or do you wish to wait until next Tuesday to see what information we get? What would you like to do?

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Well, obviously, time is of the essence. I will wait until next Tuesday, and we'll see what comes forward, and we will do our homework, as well.