Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Deputy Minister, for appearing before us again today. Thank you to the other staff members as well.
We certainly appreciate your presence here. Hopefully we can answer some of the myriad questions before this committee.
I'm quite sure you've read the blues and have been following this issue. You are probably very well aware that in earlier meetings, witnesses before this committee have indicated that the finance committee is a key actor and contributor to the success of the implementation of gender budgeting. That's the first point I want to make.
However, several of these witnesses have also been critical about the work being done in the finance department, whether in fact it's not understood or whether in fact it's maybe not being done. Those are the types of issues that are extremely important for me to have cleared up this morning.
Witnesses have also said that the report from the finance committee certainly constitutes an important first step. I think everybody who has appeared before us has recognized that this has been a longstanding issue. Governments of all stripes have been working on this for years; we are making some progress, but I think the feeling is that there are issues that are not going far enough.
In your comment you stated that you feel we've come a long way over the last two years and that you look forward to continuing progress. First, how do you think you've gone over and beyond what the government required? That's my first question. Second, how will you accomplish further progress in this avenue?