Thank you.
We have just recently completed a report, “Violence Against Women and Young Girls in Canada”, and a common theme, unfortunately, that we heard from the witnesses was the difficulty when reporting, and then taking that all the way through the justice system. So I have two questions.
The first question is for Kate: how was the loss or the cost of $12 billion to Canada's economy calculated?
My second question is for Ms. Smallman. I just want to get my mind around what you referred to as “paid safe time”. How would that work? Would someone have to go to their employer? It's tough enough for someone to go to the justice system, let alone to someone whom they work with side by side, and with the systemic barriers and biases, to say that they are being abused or that they've had a problem. Does someone have to get convicted? How would that work in a work setting? Five days definitely doesn't sound like a lot.
I'd like you both to speak to that.