Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ms. Laurendeau, Mr. Danagher, thank you for being here this morning. I was astonished by your testimony, Ms. Laurendeau. When you testified before the Senate Committee on Human Rights last May 25, you stated that the ministers responsible at the time had written to Parliament to say that they would not be following the recommendations of the Pay Equity Task Force. But ministers Irwin Cotler and Joe Fontana formally testified to the Committee on the Status of Women in November 2005 and formally promised to introduce a pay equity bill in the spring of 2006.
We know that the government has changed, but, at the time, they indicated that the bill would essentially follow the direction suggested by the Pay Equity Task Force chaired by Ms. Bilson. I find it strange that you now tell us that they wrote a letter saying that they would not be introducing the bill when they had testified before us that they would. If they wanted to introduce a bill in the spring of 2006, I assume that they would have some draft legislation already put together in November 2005, and that officials from the departments of Labour or Justice would have already begun to develop the bill. You do not promise to introduce a bill in two or three months if you have not already started the process.
I would like to hear your comments, Ms. Laurendeau.