Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Minister, thank you, again, for being here today.
I have a number of comments and then a number of questions. I'm going to try to get them all out and then allow you to respond.
I'm having some concerns about the re-profiling of the dollars. To me, it's inflating the budget, and I would welcome some comments on that.
I also want to indicate that I very strongly object to the fact that there is no political representation at international meetings. My experience as a member of Parliament is that there has always been political representation at international meetings. I realize that we have highly qualified bureaucrats, but I think it's important that there be political representation as well.
You talk in your presentation about the importance of economic growth and opportunities for women, and part of your action plan will focus on that. I just want to indicate that I've recently been doing a tour of the child care centres in my riding. I'm hearing about the waiting lists, but I'm also hearing a significant number of stories, albeit anecdotally, of women who are leaving the workforce because they don't have adequate child care for their children, or they have been putting their children in unsafe child care and have been anxious. So they are now leaving the workforce or leaving their studies. I'm concerned about how you reconcile that.
I'm interested in getting a list of all the organizations that have received funding. I'd like to know the difference between profit and non-profit organizations. Many of us are going through our Canada student grants programs right now and are finding an inordinate number of faith-based requests for funding. I'm interested in knowing the number of faith-based organizations that have been receiving funding from you and the nature of their activities and projects. I'm interested in knowing as well what funding is one-time only funding and what funding among these organizations is long-term funding.
I'm interested in knowing about the Sisters in Spirit. It is winding down. The way you described it in your remarks is not how I understand it to be. I'm interested in knowing what the long-term proposals are for the Sisters in Spirit program. I'll stop there, but I have a lot more questions.