I believe, yes, that was going in the right direction of trying to educate and engage boys.
There is something that is missing within the education system, and that is life skills in education. Within life skills in education, children should be very much aware of their civic responsibilities, which include women's rights. Unless our education system develops a formula to integrate women's rights as part of boys' education, we're not going to be able to do it. Yes, a father, an uncle or a brother can do that, can say that you treat a girl with the same amount of respect as your sister or your mother, but that's the education a child gets at home. We need our education system to change; therefore, men play an important role by listening and promoting women's rights and equality.
When you listen to a woman's problems, for many men, it's like, women are crying again, they always want something, it's never enough, where does it stop? However, if you had done that listening previously, you wouldn't have to listen to me speaking right now and asking for my rights. This shouldn't even be happening, me asking for my rights as a woman to be part of a political system, or that girls should be protected, or that boys should know how to behave. That should be a given. Men need to take active action and deliver real results on women's issues.
I believe, yes, you are going in the right direction with the consultations you have started, but the United Nations has a program called “HeForShe”, and I believe that you, as a member of Parliament, and your male colleagues, should start promoting that program throughout your riding. The HeForShe program should be a priority throughout Canada, beginning with the mentoring of little boys concerning women's rights, consent, respect and compliance.
That's my personal advice.