Evidence of meeting #35 for Status of Women in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was school.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Andrée Côté  Women's and Human Rights Officer, National Programs Section, Public Service Alliance of Canada
Ellen Dubé  Educational Counsellor, Rosalie-Jetté School
Stefanie Lomatski  Executive Director, Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women
Bailey Reid  Chair, Public Engagement Committee, Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women

5:05 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Okay, very quickly.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Stella Ambler Conservative Mississauga South, ON

I would say that the entire line that's been raised with regard to the bill currently before the House is not relevant to this study.

5:05 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

I am going to try to put a bit of order in all of this. As Ms. Ashton said, the current debate could take place elsewhere. In my opinion, Ms. Ashton has the right to ask questions on this subject since we are talking about economic prospects for girls and whether a girl has a child or not affects those economic prospects.

Ms. James, please proceed.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

I want to speak to the point of order as well.

I'm glad you actually stressed that the purpose of this study is to study the economic prospects and leadership of our young girls in Canada. We have to remember, too, that what we decided this committee would study is basically....

Again, I'm saying it because it's really what the Status of Women can do. The Status of Women actually has no control over a private member's motion, so I'm not sure where this line of questioning is going. Obviously the Status of Women is not going to take a personal opinion or approach on a private member's motion that the government has currently said they are not actually supporting.

So I just want to reiterate...because we've had a number of witnesses come in, opposition witnesses from the other side, talking about lots and lots of issues that are of importance but are certainly not relevant to the scope of this committee's study, which is the economic prosperity, prospects, direction, leadership of our young girls and what the Status of Women can do.

I want to clearly state that.

5:05 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

I hear you—

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

I mean, the Status of Women does lots of funding proposals, and so on like that, to encourage young girls to succeed, but within the Status of Women we certainly do not get into individual debate on private members' motions.

I just want to put that on the table and make sure that's clearly understood by all colleagues around the table.

Thank you.

5:05 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

I hear what you are saying, Ms. James, but I want to reiterate the fact that, for a woman, having a child or not has an effect on her economic opportunities.

Ms. Ashton, you may continue. Thank you.

5:05 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

Are reproductive rights important to girls achieving economic success and personal success in Canada?

5:05 p.m.

Chair, Public Engagement Committee, Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women

Bailey Reid

Yes, they are.

5:05 p.m.

Executive Director, Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women

Stefanie Lomatski

I think we also have to consider that it's much more complicated, too; there are also layers. Right now reproductive advocates are also looking at how violence against women and reproduction rights actually go together. A lot of the time, the victimization either starts or worsens because...whether that right is denied, whether that's by the partner or in some other capacity.

I think when we're talking about reproductive rights, we also have to realize that the existence of that right to choose and to have self-agency is always very important, especially when we're considering that sexual assault rates for young women are extremely high. Those women at the highest risk of being sexually assaulted are between 13 and...I believe it goes up to 25.

So to not have that right to be able to choose if for some reason they were to get pregnant is a really important piece of that whole puzzle in understanding what violence looks like in the lives of our young Canadian women.

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

Great. Thank you very much.

My other question would be with respect to cuts to research and advocacy. Clearly you're involved in dealing with the realities that women face in Ottawa, but you spoke about aboriginal women, for example, and the high rates of violence they face. Yet this government has cut the National Aboriginal Health Organization. Last year there were cuts to the Sisters in Spirit program. This year we saw a cut to the first nations statistical institute.

We're wondering how important it is to be able to support research that indicates the reality that young women face, and perhaps the importance it has in your work.

5:10 p.m.

Executive Director, Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women

Stefanie Lomatski

I think ideally I would empower aboriginal advocates to be able to sit here and have that voice, to speak for their people and to say that it is important. We know this is the reality of the current system, what has just happened, and that any resources to those who are marginalized and those women who have the highest rate of sexual violence—and historical sexual violence. It's really important that we make clear actions, financially contribute, and to be able to validate.... The message is that aboriginal women are not validated, and that's a really serious issue, which I think we can always change and we can always work towards. I think if we're looking at marginalized women, both homeless women and aboriginal women, we need to realize the inequity that exists right now.

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

Thank you very much.

It's a recurring theme we've heard, about how devastating these cuts have been, both to research and advocacy. That's why it's very important to have this conversation with the government. That's why I believe it's very important to have the opportunity to hear from the Minister for the Status of Women directly, given that we have heard about such a negative impact.

That, in fact, is why I put forward a motion to question the cuts to the budget. I'd like to put forward that motion right now, because I would like us, as a committee, to hear directly from the Minister for the Status of Women about these devastating cuts to research, advocacy, and employment equity as well.

5:10 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Ms. Niki Ashton moves the following motion:That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2)[...]

I am listening, Mr. Albas.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC

Are we going to be debating the motion now, or are we moving off witness testimony, Madam Chair—if you could just confirm that.

5:10 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

I will read the motion first, since we have roughly two minutes left before the bells. We could come back to that another time. Would you like us to debate that at the next sitting?

5:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:10 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Agreed. I will read the motion.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee invite the Minister for the Status of Women Canada to appear, no later than Wednesday June 13, 2012, to discuss the 2012 Budget and the 2012-2013 Report on Plans and Priorities for Status of Women Canada; that the Minister's opening statement not exceed ten (10) minutes; and that the Minister's appearance be televised.

Ms. Ashton, do you have anything to add?

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

I'd like to point out that on Wednesday, March 14, when Françoise Boivin, our MP, asked the minister if she would return to speak to the budget directly, the minister expressed very clearly that she would return. I believe we need to respect the word of the minister. The Hansard states clearly that it was on the budget. Of course, as we know, there are only a few weeks left, and we'd like to deal with that immediately.

5:10 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

We have one minute remaining.

Ms. James, go ahead.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

I'm curious as to why the minister would need to come here. In the budget itself, I believe, with respect to the Status of Women, there was...in regards to more women and corporate boards and so forth. I'm not sure whether you've read the budget in its entirety, but I'm wondering what you think the minister will come here and talk about. We're all in agreement with that part of the budget. Obviously, it's important to have more women on boards. We've had a number of witnesses here, actually, confirming that. I know that's something the Status of Women wants to do. I fully support that.

I'm just wondering whether there's an issue, and if the opposition doesn't support more women on boards, and so forth. So I have to tell you, I'm a little bit...I'm at a loss for words as to why you believe the minister needs to come and talk on that particular aspect.

5:15 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Ms. Freeman, I am listening.

May 16th, 2012 / 5:15 p.m.

NDP

Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC

With all due respect, I don't see why Ms. James would be confused, given that the minister herself said that she'd be very happy to come and speak about the budget. Yes, there is an initiative in it. We could talk about that. We could talk about other issues. Minister Ambrose speaks often about gender-based budgeting and the analysis the government is doing, and things like that. We'd like to speak to her about that, and she said she'd be happy to, so I don't see why there's any confusion.

We really should pass this motion as soon as possible; otherwise we will be running out of time with the budget. The minister herself again did say she would be very happy to come, so let's not squeeze her for time.

5:15 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Yes, Mr. Albas?

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC

I have a quick question for Madam Clerk.

Do we have witnesses on June 13? Is it an open day? I'm just reading the standing order on this.