Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here with us. You're right; we've been doing a lot of work. You mentioned in your earlier comments the work that this committee has been doing. We have been doing a lot of work, and it's nice to have you here and to be able to ask you some questions.
I want to go back to something you mentioned regarding the representation you've been doing abroad on behalf of Canada. Relatively speaking, Canadian women are doing very well. We have work to do, but we are doing very well. We are more highly educated than ever before; we're earning more money than ever before. When we look abroad and see women's rights really being trampled on in so many countries, all of use here would like to see change.
So I'm wondering. When you are representing Canada—you mentioned the UN, OAS, APEC—can you tell the committee what kind of work you've been doing and also what kind of impact you think it has, that Canada, for the first time, has a minister who is solely responsible for the status of women? We're the first government to do that. We're doing gender-based analysis; we've taken action on equitable compensation for women; we are taking steps that I believe provide real leadership on a global level.
Is that something that you're seeing when you represent Canada abroad? What kind of feedback are you getting from other countries?