Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here.
I want to change direction a little bit with you. You spoke a little bit about encouraging women to get involved in politics, in the political process. I know that we have taken some great strides and made investments in Equal Voice and providing leadership so that we can mentor young women and get them involved.
I'm wondering if you can comment on the importance of allowing women with a diverse view on a variety of issues to be able to speak. I'm going to give you an example. There are hundreds of thousands of rural women, farming women, aboriginal women, women in the military, women across this country who, for example, believe the long gun registry needs to end. They have been told this week to sit down, be quiet, and don't dare attend an event, don't dare attend a memorial, because we disagree with your view. I'm wondering how you see that as productive and if you see that as helping women get involved.
I'm going to say this. I think women need to know that this can be a battlefield, and you need to be able to defend what you believe in. To be told to sit down and be quiet, time after time after time... Can you comment on what message that sends to young women, to older women, to Canadian women?
Thank you.