Thank you very much.
We are all awaiting the beginning of our study, but actually I would also like to start the meeting by moving a motion to better clarify the central point of this study dealing with sexual harassment, as well as the role that Status of Women Canada has to play in this study.
Of course, we did our research to make sure the motion was in order.
Therefore, I'd like to present a motion.
Whereas the Standing Committee for the Status of Women has committed to taking on a study of sexual harassment in the federal workplace, Whereas it is the mandate of the committee to guide Status of Women Canada, Whereas it is the legal mandate of Status of Women Canada “to coordinate policy with respect to the status of women and administer related programs”, Be it resolved that given the severity of allegations of sexual harassment within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) that the Standing Committee on the Status of Women call upon Status of Women Canada to take the lead in coordinating policy with respect to sexual harassment within all federal departments, including the RCMP.
The reason we're putting this motion forward—and as I mentioned, we did research to ensure this motion was permissible—is that we want to make sure the work we're doing here day in and day out is useful, that we're not only studying something for the sake of studying it but that we're also giving some guidance to Status of Women Canada as to the serious issue of sexual harassment, not only in the RCMP but across the federal public service.
We know that today we have the Treasury Board in front of us. This isn't a case of taking over the work of Treasury Board, but is a case of recognizing that Status of Women Canada has a role to play.
It's also very important to clarify and recognize that Status of Women Canada states in its own mandate that it has the capacity to coordinate policy with respect to status of women and administer related programs. It can work with other departments, and that's an issue that has raised some question in the past. I think it is critical that we look to the mandate and take that mandate as the scope of the department, and therefore the kind of role we can play.
As members of the opposition, we would like to see that we're all coming here to give some guidance and that the testimony of witnesses, such as those here today but also others who will be joining us over the next several weeks, can be used to contribute to shaping policy. That's undoubtedly what women who are facing sexual harassment want to see. They don't want to see more studies; they want to see action coming from those studies. We as committee members have a duty to make sure that the work we're doing here, using parliamentary resources, actually amounts to something, that we're taking the feedback of the witnesses we're inviting here seriously and taking it to the next level and directing some kind of action and directing Status of Women Canada to follow its mandate, which is to work with other departments.
I'm very excited to examine the new policy put forward by Treasury Board, but I also realize that one of the policies that has been put forward by the government most recently is Bill C-42, with respect to the RCMP. I've had the chance to be part of the public safety committee in the last couple of weeks, and it's quite clear that work remains to be done when it comes to defining a sexual harassment policy. What better department to do that than Status of Women Canada? What better department to take on a leading role for women in the public service and in the federal workplace than Status of Women Canada?
Again, we're not simply focusing on the RCMP, though we recognize that some of the most serious allegations have come from the RCMP. We note that leadership is required there, as well as in the broader federal civil service. We certainly hope that members around this table will support this motion, will support the need for our committee to give guidance, and will support the mandate of Status of Women Canada to work with others to provide leadership and take the leading role, a role that we can all be proud of in shaping policy when it comes to something as serious as sexual harassment in federal departments, including the RCMP.
Madam Chair, this is meant to provide a scope, a noble goal that we can work toward in this committee: to put the testimonies and the research that we receive to best use and to truly provide leadership for women and for all people who work in the federal civil service and federal departments, including the RCMP.
With that, I would like to put forward the motion. I'd be happy to hear any further discussion and reflection on the importance of defining exactly what we're doing here.