Your French is excellent. Thank you.
Madam Chair, we introduced this motion because Canada made a commitment in Nairobi, back in 1985, to abide by the United Nations Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, under which governments were to collect statistics on the status of women, and ensure that these data, broken down by gender, recognize the paid and unpaid contributions of women, particularly in such areas as agriculture, food production, reproduction and domestic activities.
The last time this was done was 1992. In our opinion, that was a very long time ago. Women's contribution has probably been very extensive since 1992. It is important that a statistical study be carried out once again. However, in order for that to happen, Statistics Canada must cooperate with Status of Women Canada. The Minister of State for the Status of Women has to agree that this study should be done, in order that the invisible work done by women be reflected in the GNP and GDP. We need to know everything that has been done by women in recent years.
That is my rationale for introducing this motion, Madam Chair.