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.
9:25 a.m.
The Clerk
No, I didn't.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Sorry, I'm reading my notes here. It should read “contracted experts”.
9:25 a.m.
The Clerk
Madame Deschamps has an issue.
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Johanne Deschamps Bloc Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Just to be certain that I understood correctly, the motion reads as follows: “That the Standing Committee on the Status of Women jointly with the Standing Committee on Finance conduct pre-budget consultations [...]
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Johanne Deschamps Bloc Laurentides—Labelle, QC
I have a question about this. What if the Standing Committee on Finance refuses to work with us?
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
In that case, I think we would just go and do it ourselves. But I don't think they would refuse. I don't see why they would.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
So you're saying, in regard to the last sentence, if the finance committee does not agree, then what?
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Okay. I suppose that at that point the standing committee could take it unto its own and do its own thing, but that's duplicating things.
I don't see why the finance committee would say no. I've worked with them before, and they do understand that they have to get a thorough consultation. I suppose this committee could always go to the Board of Internal Economy and ask to be heard.
I don't think they would say no. I'm doing it because, having been there, I think they generally want to make sure they've covered....
I don't see how they could have any credibility refusing another standing committee to look at an aspect of their budget and have any credibility when they report, especially if we've put in another report saying they have not done their job.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
However, you have a very valid question, Madame Deschamps, because it is in the mandate of the Standing Committee on Finance to do pre-budget consultations. It is not in our mandate to do pre-budget consultations. All we are asking for is cooperation, because we are looking at one aspect of the budget that, really, is gender focused. If Finance tells us they are doing gender-based budgeting or gender-based analysis, then we want to give them that eye or viewpoint.
Madame Boucher.
February 26th, 2008 / 9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Conducting pre-budget consultations would be a problem, as I see it, given that the budget is scheduled to be tabled this afternoon. I may be wrong, but I think it's a little late for pre-budget consultations.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Perhaps in the future, but conducting pre-budget consultations for today's budget, well it's...
9:30 a.m.
A voice
There will be other budgets in the future.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
We are putting this in place for future generations as well, so that if we're not around, we can at least have cooperation. If we are very serious about gender budgeting and about what we are doing here at the moment, we might as well pass a motion that says we can work in cooperation, because you can't do it now—it would be putting the cart before the horse.
9:30 a.m.
The Clerk
It's good for this Parliament, this session.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Patricia Davidson Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will just make one further comment.
I just feel it's the role of the finance committee to do this, and I'm not sure what benefit there would be for us to sit through these.
I think our role is in the second statement, that we conduct the post-budget review and make sure it's done. That's what we are extremely interested in, to see that it does happen. The finance committee already does this, and I think we'd be duplicating their role otherwise. I think our role is in the second paragraph, that with the support of these contracted experts we make sure it has been done.
I think it is a strong statement, and I think if this passes it will happen, because the finance committee will know that we're going to be doing the post-budget review.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
I understand what Madam Davidson is saying, because of course I've sat on the committee for a number of years and I know that's not in our mandate and all of that. But sometimes it's a matter of a penny of prevention, if you like, or forethought—and foresight goes a long way, rather than having to react to something that could have been or might have been.
So I don't think it hurts to send a message. At minimum, this motion would send a message to the Standing Committee on Finance that they ought to be aggressively looking at this issue, which they have not been doing to date. At best, they would welcome and agree to cooperate and work with us on a number of meetings, and it wouldn't have to be the whole of their hearings, but some of them.
I don't think this is a negative thing, but it is actually a helpful and supportive thing. Of course, they also know that we will be doing the post-budget review, so I think all of it helps. I don't have a problem with it. I don't think it steps on anybody's toes. It's simply saying that we would like to have some work done pre-budget, because otherwise, after the fact, it is a little too late. You can complain, but, you know....
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
I think there are two things that we are discussing here: one is proactive participation and the second is reactive participation. The proactive participation is not that we're claiming to be consultants on the budget. Instead, what we want is a coordinated effort. At the moment, everything operates in silos. So if we have a coordinated effort between Finance and, say, the Status of Women, those pre-budget consultations are not our mandate. If we could appeal to them and say, listen, if we could sit and look at this, at least it will help your budget processing, instead of your coming before us and our always asking you and reacting to this and that.
I think that's the essence of what we were trying to do, or what Ms. Mathyssen was trying to project. It's proactive participation. Then, when they have done it, we will have a better feel for it. And if we have made a mistake, then we can blame ourselves. But I think this opens up a participative process.
Are you comfortable with that?