Ms. Beckton, I would like you to tell me how Status of Women Canada can exert pressure on the government. Do you have the capacity to do it? How far can you go to advance very specific measures that help women, for example within departmental budgets? Can you take very specific action to lobby the government? After all, your staff has been cut.
It is a huge job. We see that a great deal remains to be done. I believe that a fairly important core component is missing. Previously, we had the opportunity to obtain information from research supported by the women's program, for example. Groups and associations could carry out research and probably also pressure the government based on the data collected through their research. We can no longer rely on that. Associations that continue to carry out these types of studies do so on a voluntary basis.
Your staff and the operating budget of Status of Women Canada have been reduced. I wonder what kind of resources you have and how you can function with what little you do have.