Thank you, Madam Chair.
First of all, I want to thank Nancy and Elyse for joining us this afternoon. It certainly was a very interesting presentation, and one that had lots of information for all of us.
I was especially interested in the four points that Nancy put out first for us to consider. All of them certainly carry a lot of weight. Being a former teacher, I want to say how very much I too support your words on the need for education. The part of education on this matter starts not only in the school system and the education system but starts immediately at home, because we have seen in other studies we've done that sometimes by the time girls get to grades two or three they've already had their minds made up on what they should be and that these other ways of working are not meant for them. They've had their minds already made up for a girl type of job.
I want to say that it's those years of schooling, in the early years, that this kind of education, if it's not already done in the home, has to form some focus on those kinds of teachings. So it is very important. It's not only important for the girls, but it's important for boys and girls as well, because they learn much from what they see and hear from their surroundings in those years.
As you also know, the committee's study is on prospects for Canadian girls with regard to economic prosperity, economic participation, and economic leadership, and what changes can be made by Status of Women Canada in its approach to improving them. But at the same time, we also heard from a witness about the importance of having mentors for girls. Young adults or teenagers may have more of an impact on young girls than mentoring of them by older women. Does any of your experience or work support this idea?
That question is for Nancy.