Evidence of meeting #18 for Status of Women in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was departments.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Patricia Davidson Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
No, I still think it's something the finance committee has been doing. They are legislated to do that, or that's their role, and I think it is duplication. Our role is the second paragraph.
Liberal
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
We heard from a number of groups who came to our committee and provided some very good and practical ideas that will benefit women. While I understand that the finance committee may hear some of this, or listen to some of this, it is not always reflected in the budget. This is a mechanism to create greater awareness that we're watching and that we are absolutely serious about taking that step to make sure women's voices are heard and that the budget serves not just some of the population but all of the population. Having that mechanism to review is, as was indicated, both proactive and reactive. Once the budget is in place, it's too late. I want these voices to be part and parcel of the budgeting process, and I'm not convinced they always are.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
I'm just going to throw out something here and see how the committee feels.
If we bring a list of all the women's groups that Finance has consulted--we can't do it today, we'll have to do it on Thursday--would that help us understand what Finance has been doing, and would that...?
Go ahead, Ms. Minna.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
With respect, Madam Chair, I'm sorry, but during the last budget consultations, for instance, I received a call from two organizations that are very strong women's organizations. They had not been given time at the table at that point. I asked to lobby the finance committee to see if they would be able to get in, because they had chosen a certain number and then closed the doors.
I don't really want to put this off, because it is far too important. We don't know where we're going tomorrow after the budget today. We have no idea. I really would like to leave behind some marker for the next committee that comes in. I don't think asking the Standing Committee on Finance to work with us on some pre-budget consultation process is revolutionary. I would really like to leave it--
Conservative
Patricia Davidson Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
I just want to make one final comment.
I understand where the members across are coming from in the statement they're making. But is it our intent to abide by the finance committee's regulations on pre-budget consultation, or are we going to set up our own? I know that some groups, whether women's groups or other groups, didn't meet deadlines to submit for the pre-budget consultations. So is it our intent to alter those types of things or to abide by the rules that the finance committee has in place for all pre-budget consultations?
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Madam Chair, it is important to open the door. I too received calls from various women's groups that had been shut out of the process. This is far too important a process to be denying access to anyone who is legitimately speaking on behalf of needs within our society.
It's always been a mystery, this budgetary process, and it doesn't need to be. It should never be. So I say that if we can open some doors--
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Sorry, Ms. Minna, could you wait?
Ms. Mathyssen, could you finish, please?
Go ahead.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
For the vast number of Canadians, this is a great mystery. Once a year, they see the product of these consultations they're not plugged into. If we can open that door, I think it behooves us to do that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
On opening the door, the question that Ms. Davidson is asking is whether there are rules and procedures that govern how consultation takes place. So we're going to manage within that consultation process, right?
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Madam Chair, this motion appears to strike a very balanced approach. On the one hand, it calls for consultations with women's groups, for being more receptive to requests for consultations with women's groups and for conducting joint consultations with the finance committee. On the other hand, it calls for a special effort to be made to consult with women's groups. In that respect, it would ensure that the finance committee, the committee most involved in pre-budget consultations, is made aware of the concerns of the status of women committee.
As I see it, this is an extremely important and relevant component. It seems that the committee itself will be examining the budget that is scheduled to be tabled today. I would imagine that it will conduct the same review when the next budget is due. It will then be able to compare this year with next year, after pre-budget consultations have been conducted with women's groups interested in the funding allocated to Status of Women Canada.
To my way of thinking, this is a perfectly balanced, sensible approach. We could add other components, but I think the motion is fine.
Since our guests have arrived, without wanting to disrupt the order of business, I think we should take a vote, Madam Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Merci.
I will call the question. Does anybody want us to read the amended motion? Good.
(Motion as amended agreed to)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
The committee cannot be suspended.
Members, we will go until 10:45. Then I have some committee business we need to discuss. It is our work plan and what is in the future.
The documents you have received are about 180 pages, I am told, and we've given out some relevant documents pertaining to gender budgeting. If you could look over the documents you've submitted and their relevance to our study, it would help us.
Madame Dwyer-Renaud, please go ahead.
Hélène Dwyer-Renaud Director, Gender-Based Analysis and Accountability Directorate, Status of Women Canada
Good day.
Unfortunately, I do not have the list of the committee's questions. Therefore, I will try to recall them from memory. The committee had asked us for the definition of GBA used by Status of Women Canada and across all federal government departments. We were also asked to provide a copy of the Treasury Board's guide to gender-based analyses.
Could you hold up a copy for members, Mrs. Boucher?
We also sent you some documents. I believe this is the material here.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
May I just stop you here? Madame Dwyer-Renaud, we just copied a few pages from that document you sent, the Treasury Board submission--pages 13 to 20.
Director, Gender-Based Analysis and Accountability Directorate, Status of Women Canada
That's right. I believe section 9.3...
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Oui.
It's just so that if somebody asks you a question, you'll know where we are.
The next one you've given is--
Director, Gender-Based Analysis and Accountability Directorate, Status of Women Canada
This is coming. This is to answer the question about the gap analysis. How do departments proceed? What's available in departments? It also has an overview of provinces and territories. It's dated 2005.
You also received a document that is from the UN. Madam Davidson has a copy to show you that. It's a very interesting document. I encourage you to look at it when you have a moment, because it actually gives a good review of what's going on in the UN and the member states in terms of gender mainstreaming and capacity building, but it is linked. They focused it on gender-responsive budgets. That document is being discussed at this moment in New York, so it's very au courant in terms of what's going on.
You asked for a list of departmental contacts. That's being forwarded to you as well.
There was also something sent to you on the gender equality indicator projects, to give you a little bit of a sense of what that project is about.
The international is basically the UN.
A grid has also been sent to you. I believe Clare has that grid, which shows an overview of what's going on internationally in different countries in terms of gender mainstreaming.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
You guys don't have it because it was brought to our clerk at 9:30, so you will get the package.
Do you have it?