Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ms. Guergis, thank you for being with is today. I am not a permanent member of the committee. This is the first time I have sat on this committee, and I find the atmosphere a bit strange.
My question is a bit more personal than the ones that have been asked to this point and is directed at a person who attends Cabinet meetings and is able to apply pressure.
You say, and rightly so, probably, that you want to reduce poverty among women. Poverty is probably the most insidious form of violence against women. It is the reason why we do comparative analyses to determine whether women fare as well as men. Poverty is a major phenomenon.
Even though Canada currently scores high marks internationally, in a context where everyone is getting poorer, that simply means we in this country are getting poorer at a slightly slower pace. Our situation is not as serious, but it is no better. The proof is that the number of poor children is growing. If that number is growing, it means that mothers are poor.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce poverty is to invest in social housing. Right now, billions of dollars are lying dormant at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
My question does not take aim at the Conservatives only, because it was the same thing under the Liberals. These billions of dollars have been there for a very long time. What type of pressure are you able to apply, you who claim to want to reduce poverty among women and provide them with better housing, so that some money is spent creating a real and meaningful program?