Status of Women Committee on Oct. 15th, 2018

[Charles MacArthur]

Yes. It was just after I was born. Absolutely, I think CMHC has adapted according to the policies of the country at any given time, and we're always ready to work on new things should the government decide we need to work on them. For example, the national housing strategy has chosen community housing. We're working on community housing to build another 60,000 units.

We are working with groups. We're working with Habitat for Humanity to try to figure out how we can effectively use the national housing strategy to look at some home ownership models in a modern way. We used to be in the construction business many years ago; that's not something we do, so we have to find the partners who are doing that and we're working with groups like that to build housing.

Our expectations of first-time housing have changed as well, and that's all great and good. I think the wartime houses were modest and I think expectations are a little higher, but it's worth thinking about.

[Bob Bratina]

That could be. I just wondered if the whole thing accelerated because a lot of big, tough guys who had been in the army were now demanding it.

[Charles MacArthur]

I do know the history. Whenever a group of people come home from war, you need to do something to house them.

I think we need to produce more supply across the spectrum, because different people make different choices. My family is moving out, and I don't know if my children will ever want to own a home. They want to be able to move across the country and do whatever it is. But affordable supply is definitely something.

[Bob Bratina]

We're all eager to see the results.

Ms. Buist, is there programming that involves indigenous men to a great extent? In terms of resolving the issues of gender-based violence and so on, could you outline how men can play or may now be playing a role in that?

[Margaret Buist]

Our program is proposal-based, and we've really seen an increase in the proposals that are coming in to engage men and indigenous men and boys in ending violence. I know, for example, one of the things that's happening this Thursday—and I see some of the members of Parliament wearing their moose hide—is the Moose Hide Campaign. This Thursday is a day of fasting and recognition. That's a really important national campaign. It's now funded through Status of Women, but earlier on INAC did some funding for that program in its infancy. That's a national one.

At the local level, some examples of the programming are connecting men and boys with elders to talk about the impacts of intergenerational trauma that they have experienced that have led them to express themselves violently towards their partners, and ways in which they can take responsibility for changing their behaviour and get the help they need to do that. There's been a huge increase in that kind of prevention programming in our small budget.

[Bob Bratina]

It goes to Mr. Liepert's point about there being a benefit that would come from prevention in terms of the costs that we're talking about here and the need for it.

Are we almost out of time, Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

You have 20 seconds.

[Bob Bratina]

I'll just finish by saying thank you all for working on a very difficult but important project for Canadians. The whole country has transitioned in the way we think and the way we approach things. Those people in those big office buildings are doing a lot of the work. We're talking about it, raising questions and so on, but you're kind of on the front line. I want to thank you for that and thank you for being here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Excellent. We're going to wrap it up with the final three minutes to Irene Mathyssen.

[Irene Mathyssen]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I'll go to you, Mr. MacArthur, in terms of the national housing strategy. We know there's a chronic and desperate need for affordable housing. That strategy has indicated that at least 25% of the investment will go for projects for women and girls and their families. It's very important and it's a target that we hope we can meet. I just wonder if you can give us an indication of how you will enforce this target and how you will ensure that there are linkages with the women's organizations on the ground that are working directly with those women who are seeking shelter.

[Charles MacArthur]

In the intake process, there are the different priority clientele groups that need to be identified, and if you identify yourself as serving one of those priority groups, it moves you up in the prioritization, given that we're serving the most vulnerable populations. We're able to identify in each intake process how many of the folks are identifying as serving women and girls. We have a process to measure that.

We've worked for a number of years with groups on the ground. Our folks are out there helping them develop their proposals if they need that or helping guide them if they're more sophisticated groups. Some are very sophisticated and need just a little bit of assistance. Some need more assistance, so we're there for them.

[Irene Mathyssen]

Thank you.

We've heard that there are going to be five more shelters built, 37 more beds. Sadly, we're looking at more than 600 indigenous communities. It seems that's rather few in terms of the need.

I wonder if you can give us an indication of the progress of construction. When will these shelters be available and accessible to women fleeing violence in Calgary?

[Charles MacArthur]

All of the construction is due to be completed by March 31 of next year, so within the fiscal year. My understanding is that construction is going quite well on those projects.

[Irene Mathyssen]

Thank you.

I have one last question and it has to do with the fact that the funding for on-reserve shelters is less. They're underfunded when you compare them to other shelters. This has been acknowledged by the Assembly of First Nations. They've asked the federal government to address that shortfall with regard to the amount that on-reserve shelters would receive.

Is there any indication that the government will be able to comply with the request of the Assembly of First Nations?

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

That is a very smart question. Can we have a short answer?

[Charles MacArthur]

In the context of the distinction-based strategies being worked on, I think that's a question that would be entertained within that, as the government works with indigenous communities to develop the overall housing strategies.

[The Chair, Conservative, Karen Vecchio]

Excellent.

I would like to thank everybody. I'd like to thank Tammy, Justine, Janet, Catherine, Margaret and Charles for coming today and providing us this insight as we begin our study on shelters.

Our next meeting will be this Wednesday, 3:30, October 17, in this room or in the vicinity, but we'll be sending that information out. At this moment, we have one hour of panels with some committee business to follow.

The meeting is adjourned.