Evidence of meeting #42 for Status of Women in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was changes.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Gaëlle Breton-Le Goff  Associated Professor, Department of Law, Université du Québec à Montréal, As an Individual
Caroline Leclerc  Director General, Strategic Planning and Performance Reporting Directorate, Canadian International Development Agency
Michel Bélec  Acting Executive Director and General Counsel, Head of Legal Services, Canadian International Development Agency

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Read it with the change, please.

10:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Gender equality...“les genres”....

10:35 a.m.

Bloc

Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC

The genres.

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

And not the gendres.

10:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee believes that polygamy goes against the right to equality between men and women--

Actually that's repetitive, you know, Irene.

10:35 a.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

It's just that, as you so accurately pointed out, there are some democratic societies where polygamy is the practice, and I was aiming for clarity. I recognize the repetitive nature of it.

10:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Okay. I'll continue:--and recommends that the government affirm that this practice does not reflect the values of gender equality; and That this motion be reported to the House at the first opportunity.

All in favour?

(Motion agreed to)

It is passed unanimously and that will be so noted when we report it to the House.

Thank you.

We have about 10 minutes to talk about new technologies. We agreed to do that last week, I gather. The committee will hear from the witnesses for as long as members have questions. The committee will go into committee business to discuss with the analysts the direction they want to give to the study on new technologies and also will give drafting instructions on the DFAIT study.

Obviously, since we are expanding the DFAIT study, we won't talk about drafting instructions at this point, but do you wish to discuss the direction you want to give to the study on new technologies in the 10 minutes left?

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC

Madam Chair, with my cynicism, we'll never get to it. It's been two years, and we're having more studies on other issues.

10:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Do you wish to discuss the direction they want to give to the study on new technologies now for 10 minutes?

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

We have talked so much over the past two years about the reasons why we wanted to conduct this study.

10:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I'm only reading what you said. You said last week that you wanted to do it today.

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC

But we are postponed again and the study has always been postponed.

10:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

But that should not stop us from discussing it. If you want to discuss it, we'll go in camera. If you don't want to, we'll adjourn.

Can I get the sense of whether you want to discuss it now?

10:35 a.m.

Bloc

Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC

Yes.

10:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

All right. we'll go in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]