Thank you, Madam Chair.
I'd like to pick up on what Monsieur Pomerleau was talking about.
Violence again women--violence against anyone, I think--can only be ended with concerted effort. It's a huge problem. We know that violence is perpetuated by poverty, the lack of affordable housing, the lack of universal child care, the absence of pay equity, and the inability of women to access employment insurance because they work part time. It all contributes to violence. One of the remedies, I think, has to come from government when it looks or creates policy. Of course, we're right back to GBA.
On page 15 of the departmental performance report it says, “In 2007-2008 a new requirement was introduced that federal organizations should ensure that their submissions to the Treasury Board are GBA compliant.” What if they're not? Are there repercussions? Are there penalties? Is there an incentive for a department to comply if the government hasn't mandated GBA? According to the Auditor General, it's not mandated.
How do we attack poverty and violence and really address it without the levers?