Evidence of meeting #106 for Status of Women in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was data.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
You said earlier that women were more likely to vote in federal elections than in provincial elections.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
It's the opposite.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Women are more likely to vote in provincial or municipal elections than in federal elections.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Okay.
In that context, health and education are more important. Thank you for clarifying.
Let's now talk about the lack of information. You mentioned that surveys follow a seven-year cycle.
When should the federal government provide you with recommendations or additional resources to ensure that the 2020 census would contain more questions on the issue we are discussing today?
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
I think there will be a general social survey in September.
Survey Manager, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
We are doing consultations right at the moment, and we will be able to accept comments until the end of August.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
So we are talking about a late-August deadline for a report that will be published in 2020?
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
As part of Statistics Canada's modernization, we are also looking at the time frames related to the development of our surveys. We know that is an issue.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
I would like to come back to Ms. Harder's question.
Have you issued recommendations to the government in the past to obtain additional resources or enhance the components of the general social survey?
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Investments have been made to study the way the general social survey is conducted. That includes all the statistics collected through that program. We are hoping that the first component of the new general social survey will be ready in 2021. In the context of modernization, we are considering data sources other than surveys, such as administrative sources. We also want to use more scientific methods, including new data creation models. We are investing a lot of time and effort in that.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Could you provide the clerk with information explaining how Canadians could participate in that process by the end of August?
That would be greatly appreciated.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Definitely.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Has the auditor general made recommendations to Statistics Canada to help the organization enhance data collection in that area or in other areas?
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Unfortunately, I do not know, but that does not mean he has not.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
When it comes to harassment, have there been any studies on bullying?
As members of Parliament, we have made recommendations on that.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Yes, we have statistics on harassment in the workplace. According to those statistics, women are more often victims of bullying than men.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you very much.
We'll now move to Gérard Deltell.
Take as many minutes as you need—up to five.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you so much, Karen. Don't worry. I learned my lesson.
I want to come back to the issue I discussed with you earlier.
Of course, a lot of focus is being placed on the number of women running for office. In fact, 50% of candidates can be women without any of them getting elected. We cannot presume how people will vote. Another possibility would be 100% of women being elected and the House of Commons being made up of only women, even though half the candidates were women. A lot of focus is being placed on that, but there is an element that is outside our control. However, it is possible to control it in other fields.
The reason I asked you the question is the following. Politicians are in positions of authority. They're also public figures. According to surveys, people don't like politicians in general, but they love their politician. That is what we are seeing in our ridings. People like us, but they do not like politicians in general. They like us individually. They prefer the tree to the forest.
I would like to establish a parallel with people who are working in the medical field, such as doctors. They are also public figures. They are recognized and are in positions of authority. They make highly consequential decisions.
Does the medical field have the same proportion? Have you carried out surveys to find out what the abilities of people who want to work in the medical field are, as you have done for the political world?
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
I don't have any data on physicians in particular.
I once again want to come back to the publication Women in Canada, which provides information on women studying in
STEM, which is science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
According to that report, there are differences between men and women in terms of what they study. It shows that an increasing number of women are choosing to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. I assume that changes will occur over time.
I'm sorry, but I cannot answer the question about medical professions.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
You are talking about STEM professions or jobs in the science field. I think that medicine is a very scientific field. Currently, more women than men are studying medicine, but more men than women are studying engineering. Those are two scientific professions, but we see that men are more attracted to engineering and women to medicine. That does not preclude having competent people.
Conservative
Liberal
Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS
Perfect. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Thank you to our witnesses for being here. I have lots of questions and limited time, so I'll jump right in.
Do you have essentially a cross-reference between the data you presented today with the factor of whether the respondent actually has a locally elected representative who is a woman?