Status of Women Committee on March 23rd, 2017

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

No, you do not. In fact you're over.

I did confer with the clerk. There is not really a limit on what can be asked, as long as it's cordial and respectful.

Ms. Harder, you have five minutes.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

My question has to do with the budget, the supplementary estimates. I'm hoping that you can answer precisely and quickly, if you don't mind.

With regard to grants and contributions, you said the majority of the funding is going to this area. That's true but what I notice is actually from year over year, 2016 into 2017, the amount that is given to grants and contributions, which of course we know is actually to support the programs that are taking place in the community, is coming down slightly by about $100, so there's no meaningful increase to this category. Could you help me understand that, please?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Our grants and contributions have remained at around $19 million since 2009. The decrease that you see is because of the variance in the action plan for violence against indigenous women and the plan for women entrepreneurs. The increase in operational funding mainly supports women by strengthening the capacity of Status of Women to expand our regional presence. As you know, we went from having four offices across Canada to 15. Also, we are investing in research and evaluation of gender-based analysis.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

My question is with regard to the grants and contributions and I don't see any meaningful increase there. You used it as a boast point before, in your opening statement. I'm wondering why I don't see an increase there if that's so important to you.

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

It continues to be important to me. I also know that we're increasing grants and contributions to different programs that will improve the lives of women and girls.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Okay.

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

One of them is the PromoScience program, which will receive $10.8 million over five years, starting in 2017-18, which supports organizations that offer opportunities for youth—

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Minister, respectfully I'm going to cut you off. Thank you.

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

—particularly young women and girls. That's an increase.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

I think essentially what I'm hearing you say is that you're shuffling the money around, but there's no meaningful increase.

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

No. That's not what I'm saying.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

My next question has to do with internal services. We know that the former minister put about $1 million into office renovations. I see that you now have plans for internal services to increase your budget by another $2 million. What further renovations do you have planned?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

I'm not sure but it will go through the proper channels and we'll make sure that you're kept in the loop as need be.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

I'm sure you will.

I'll share the rest of my time with Karen Vecchio.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

I just want to go back to the question I had started regarding the Prime Minister and his immigration policies towards the United States and the $650 million that he's going to be using to change some of the judicial and legal barriers of other countries. Specifically I'm going to ask this because we recognize and we have heard, through not only media, that some of this money will be used to go to organizations.

First, I offer the premise that I am pro-choice, but we recognize that much of this funding is going to go to 125 countries where abortion is illegal and the money is going to go there for advocacy for better rules for abortion. I want to hear from you specifically that money will not be going to advocate for pro-choice efforts. Although it's fine for this country, in other countries where it's illegal, I want to make sure that our money is being used efficiently to help children, to help mothers. We have great maternal and parental care. I want to make sure that our money is being spent appropriately and respecting the sovereign nation rules and laws. Could you please specify on that?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

As you know, my colleague Marie-Claude Bibeau consulted with the international community, and they highlighted the need for sexual health and reproductive rights as the way that Canada could step up on the international stage, because we know that unless women have sovereignty over their bodies, empowerment economically or around leadership is nearly impossible. That $650 million is going to go to countries, not just for abortions where it's legal but to things such as education, information, and contraception. This is what the international community has asked us for.

Those who were at the UN saw the incredible way that this announcement was received. It allows countries to focus on other things that their communities desperately need to ensure that their women and girls in communities achieve their full potential.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

So you're saying there will be not one dime of Canadian taxpayers' money to go against the laws of other countries. Is that what you're saying?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

I think that if you have further questions about sexual health and reproductive rights and our international development aid, you should consider talking to Minister Bibeau about her efforts and how she particularly intends to continue her good work.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Thank you.

Do I have any more time? No? Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

We'll go to Ms. Damoff for five minutes.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I'll pass over to Ms. Damoff, but I just want to remark on that particular comment.

One of the reasons that I ran is that when I was working with the UN in Africa, one of the young women on my staff there told me that there was a double standard, that she had studied in Canada and she knows Canadian women have reproductive rights and when some of that funding was cut she said, “I am so ashamed, because you're saying that Canadian women have rights but we African women are not good enough to have reproductive rights.”

I'd like the minister to address that last comment made by Ms. Vecchio in that regard. Rights are rights and reproductive choice is something that is important for all women, whether they are Canadian or they are in other countries. That is something our government supports. I'd love to have the minister respond to that.

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

I agree. There was a great woman who said that unless all of us are free, none of us are free.

One of the conversations I had with my colleagues from the American countries while I was in New York had to do with that. In terms of what's happening in Brazil, what's happening in Mexico, what's happening in my ancestral land of Afghanistan, and what's happening here in Canada, we are all parts of the same humanity. When one of us is hurting, all of us are hurting.

Canada, as a founding member of the United Nations, is going to be there, and we're going to remain at the forefront of ensuring that women and girls everywhere reach their full potential. Our focus on reproductive rights, health rights, and having that choice has been clear to Canadians since before we got elected, and we're going to continue to illustrate that commitment through our actions, as well as our international commitments.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Thank you, Minister, and thank you for being here.

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

It's my pleasure.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

I know that you're a very passionate advocate for people living with disabilities, and in your previous role we met with a few groups who spoke to you about challenges that people have living with disabilities. Just recently at the UN we had a conversation about employment for women living with disabilities, because as we know, the unemployment rate for them is about 75% and their income is quite low.

I wonder if you could take a moment to speak about some of the initiatives you're looking at to deal specifically with the issues of women living with disabilities.