Wow. That's laughable.
Evidence of meeting #133 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 seniors.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #133 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 seniors.
A video is available from Parliament.
February 28th, 2019 / 9:45 a.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Ms. Irene Mathyssen
Ms. Harder has the floor. I would like her to continue, please.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Okay. So the member opposite, then, allows her comment to stand.
Thank you. I value that being on the record, at least. Great.
I would agree to an amendment if the amendment called upon the minister to come for two hours, for the full length of the committee, rather than just one. This would allow us to achieve the goal that is stated within my motion.
If I may, Madam Chair, I'm being demonized by those on the other side because I'm bringing forward a motion with regard to bringing the minister to talk about her new department and its mandate.
The Vice-Chair Ms. Irene Mathyssen
Madam Harder, are you making a supplementary amendment?
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
I am making the supplementary amendment that the minister be called to come for two full hours.
The Vice-Chair Ms. Irene Mathyssen
All right. We can indeed.
(Subamendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Now we need to go to a vote on the amendment.
(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Now, on the main motion as amended....
Yes, Ms. Harder.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
On a point of order, my colleague had her hand up before. She has to be allowed to speak before a vote is taken.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Ms. Irene Mathyssen
Okay.
To the main motion as amended, then, go ahead, Ms. Leitch.
Simcoe—Grey, CPC
Thank you very much. My apologies for the back and forth.
As I mentioned before, during my time as the Minister of Status of Women during the previous government, I had to present myself several times to this committee. The maintenance of transparency with respect to the mandate letter, as it is with respect to the estimates and other things, is I think very important for the Canadian public. I think it's exceptionally reasonable. I would hope that the minister understands that it's a duty of the office to be transparent to the Canadian public. I would hope that this transparency doesn't just speak to the estimates but it also speaks to the mandate. I can tell you, having sat at that end of the table as opposed to one of these seats, that it takes more than an hour to go through the estimates and it takes more than an hour to go through the mandate alone. That is if you want to be fully available to the Canadian public.
Personally, I think the clarification would be exceptionally valuable. One thing that has been added to this mandate—at least, that we understand has been added to this mandate—is the involvement of girls. I had the good fortune as the minister to put forward at the United Nations the international day of the girl on behalf of Canadians. I had the good fortune to have the first round table of just young women to present to cabinet so that they would have an opportunity to have their ideas heard. Those are very important issues, and I don't think they can be encapsulated in a two- or three-minute conversation with a cabinet minister when young women in this country are just as valuable as seniors. That's just one piece of evidence, from what we think is in the mandate, that I think should be discussed.
I would strongly encourage those on the other side to consider having the minister here to speak just to the mandate. It's a very important component of what I think the Canadian public expects. Quite frankly, I think the more than five million young Canadian women under the age of 18 alone deserve to have that degree of respect; I would just encourage them on the other side.
As I say, it's not a lot of fun sitting down at the other end of the table as a cabinet minister, but I don't think it's as terrible as you might think. I think it's actually extremely helpful for a minister to be able to speak to the Canadian public directly on what their mandate is and what they plan to achieve.
Thank you.
The Vice-Chair Ms. Irene Mathyssen
Thank you, Ms. Leitch.
Ms. Harder, do you want to speak to the motion?
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Yes, I do.
My colleague used a very key phrase here. She said “what we think is in the mandate”. She's right in saying this, because of course this committee functions according to a mandate that existed before December 13, 2018. Once the new bill received royal assent and a new department was formed, that mandate is called into question because it's changed; it has been expanded. At least, that's what we're told by officials and by the minister.
Again, it seems appropriate that the minister would come and allow us to engage with her in order to seek a better understanding of what exactly that mandate is. I'm confused as to why the members opposite of me want to shut down that opportunity for us to engage in meaningful conversation with the minister, that we might better understand her department and that we might better be able to serve positive outcomes on behalf of the Canadian public.
It would seem, then, that the members opposite of me don't actually want to abide by the words of the Prime Minister and invite openness, invite transparency, and invite a new tone that is brought to Ottawa. I would show my disappointment with that more than anything, not only on my behalf but on behalf of all Canadians, from coast to coast, who would like a government that is transparent and who would like to know that the minister is inviting herself to be held accountable, the Canadian public who would like to know that the members of this committee are having their best interest in mind.
With that, Madam Chair, I believe you are going to proceed to a vote. I would like that vote to be recorded.
The Vice-Chair Ms. Irene Mathyssen
Thank you, Ms. Harder.
I would like to have a recorded vote on the motion as amended, please.
(Motion as amended agreed to: yeas 5; nays 2)
Thank you very much to our witnesses. We appreciate your being here.
I would like to suspend, please.
The Vice-Chair Ms. Irene Mathyssen
I would like to welcome everyone back to the 133rd meeting of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women.
I would also like to say thank you to our witnesses: Luce Bernier, Geneviève Tremblay-Racette, Monsieur Danis Prud'homme and Philippe Poirier-Monette.
We did not have time to complete questions, and I wonder whether the committee would like those witnesses to return for further questions.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
Yes, I would like them to come. I have both of them in my riding and I have questions to ask. Unfortunately we did not have time, so I would like us to invite them again if everybody agrees with me.
The Vice-Chair Ms. Irene Mathyssen
Thank you. I will ask the clerk to see if they can return.
Now, for our second panel, we have, as individuals, Madame Catherine Twinn with us in the room; and Madame Madeleine Bélanger by video conference from Quebec. Also, from CARP, the Canadian Association for Retired Persons, we have Madame Wanda Morris and Madame Laura Kadowaki, both coming through video conference. Welcome.
Ms. Twinn, I believe you wanted to proceed with a video.
Catherine Twinn Lawyer, As an Individual
Good morning, everyone. It's nice to meet you and it's nice to be here.
Yes, I have two very short videos that I think are important for committee members to see. I'm told now that the videos cannot be viewed unless they're in both languages. I don't know if the committee has any power to create an exemption. If so, I would ask that they please consider that. I think these two short videos are very important to the issue that the committee is studying.
The Vice-Chair Ms. Irene Mathyssen
Thank you very much. Do we have unanimous consent to see the English-only videos?
