On the question of program performance measurement, the management results of structure policy that we're putting in place, again we don't highlight a single policy lens through which we expect departments to measure and determine program effectiveness. It's expected that the department will do that on a full spectrum of policy lenses, so we don't go in and say “You need to look at just this”, nor do we give them a specific, defined checklist of the lenses they should apply. We tell them that their responsibility is to have appropriate performance measures in place, that they should have their program properly aligned to what we call their program activity architecture, which basically means they have set the outcome and results that they are striving to in their mandate, as departments, they have programs that are aligned under that mandate. Each program has a desired outcome identified with it, and they identify the specific results they are going to attempt to measure, the actual measurable things they are going to use to determine whether or not that program is actually meeting that outcome, if it's actually generating it.
As part of that policy analysis, certainly in my view, an appropriate methodology would mean that you're also looking at whether or not there are unintended consequences. In unintended consequences across the board, it would seem to me that unintended gender impacts would be part of that mix. But we haven't gone in to say specifically that it needs to be this, that, and the other. We expect they are doing a complete job of looking at those program results.
Ultimately it is the minister for that department who is responsible for whatever the outcomes are that those programs are generating. It's that minister's responsibility to be held to account for whether or not there are unintended consequences associated with the program or outcome. It's that minister who has to answer for whether or not he or she believes that program should then be redesigned or whatever in order to address any of those unintended outcomes or consequences.
The last point I would add is that Status of Women Canada is certainly there to help. It is there to help departments with these things. It is there to help departments understand. It plays a very important role in helping departments ensure they have the proper capacity to carry out GBA. It is providing a very good service in giving advice and helping departments understand how they can build GBA throughout their policy spectrum.