In terms of the business of standing committees of the House of Commons, it is in fact a bona fide mandate for a committee to decide to look at, to question, to determine, what a particular department or minister is intending to do about things. That is part of the work of committee. Committees decide when they will do that, the timelines for doing it, how long it will take, and who they will call to the committee.
In this very thick book we have here, that is a clear part on the role of a committee. The ministers are accountable to Parliament. I would suggest that if Parliament believes that it needs to do that.... Parliaments may also duplicate studies if they choose.
This is a committee on the Status of Women Canada. The committee on the status of women will be dealing with women. They are women who are mothers, who have children, and who bear children. It's valid. It falls under the mandate to look at the issue of women.
Under all of those guidelines for committee work, I think this is a valid motion. If it were not, I would not have allowed the motion to come to the floor to be debated. It's a very valid motion. The question is whether we are going to accept it or not accept it, not on whether it is a point of order that it should be here. It is in fact within the order and scope of this committee to do this work.
Now, I have Madame Boucher, Mr. Calandra, and Madame Demers.
I think I will call the question immediately, because we really did plan to do some work. Unless people have brand-new points that they wish to make.... As chair, I will decide if we are repeating the same things.
Madame Boucher.