Evidence of meeting #39 for Status of Women in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was family.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:25 a.m.
NDP
The Chair NDP Hélène LeBlanc
Ms. Ashton, could you put your question right away because we only have one minute?
10:25 a.m.
NDP
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB
Canadian courts have ruled that the health cuts have been cruel and unusual. I would like all three organizations to comment on that.
10:25 a.m.
President, DisAbled Women's Network of Canada
We never had health equity even before the cuts. Even with respect to migration, migration for disabled women, we are constantly oppressed. We have people who try to bring their children with disabilities and are turned away at the borders. Families are separated when they can't bring their disabled members.
In terms of health equity, in terms of anything that pertains to women's issues, I cannot stress enough the fact that we were behind before the cuts. We are more profoundly behind now.
The one other point that I would quickly like to make with respect to funding is that funding for inclusion should be designated in any funding envelope. It should be adequate, so that my sisters at these tables can also accommodate people with disabilities in their programs and seminars as well, because, as Bonnie outlined, we cannot always do this alone. We also need funding to do our own work and we can't say it enough.
10:30 a.m.
NDP
The Chair NDP Hélène LeBlanc
Thank you very much. That will conclude our meeting. We have a little bit of business to take care of.
I want to thank all the witnesses from all across Canada who have come and shared their testimony with us.
We will suspend for a few minutes in order for the committee to do some future business.
Madam Young.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC
Madam Chair, in the interests of accuracy, we did have a departmental official at this committee meeting and she did outline very factually that, in fact, funding to Status of Women has increased over time. There have been no program cuts.
Can we have her come back to this committee to just clarify, since there seemed to be a lot of misinformation at this table?
10:30 a.m.
NDP
The Chair NDP Hélène LeBlanc
Thank you, Ms. Young, for the clarification. It's very much appreciated by all members of the committee and by our guests.
We will suspend for a few minutes. We will ask our guests to leave the room since we are going in camera.
[Proceedings continue in camera]