Status of Women Committee on June 1st, 2017

[Marilyne Picard]

Yes, per year. So we told the Quebec government that something had to be done. We were successful and obtained equal treatment, or at least something approaching equality, which we are pleased with. We got $957 per month tax free. As we said, this is because of the child's complex medical condition, for ambulance costs and so forth. This provides additional support.

The shortcoming of the new program is that the assistance is not scaled to the severity of the child's condition. The program is for parents whose children are in the most serious condition, the ones at greatest risk, if I may say, with multiple disabilities.

[Geneviève Dion]

This program stops when the child reaches the age of 18.

[Marilyne Picard]

Yes.

Unfortunately, in the case of a child whose condition is borderline, who is not considered to be sufficiently disabled, the request is refused and the family will continue to receive just $2,000 per year.

There are still shortcomings, but we are working to resolve those as well. Today, we would like to make you aware of our situation so the federal government can help us, especially with our retirement plan and purchasing power.

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

I have another question.

Can you tell us about the government's calculations for a single-parent family versus a two-parent family?

[Geneviève Dion]

It is the same amount.

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

If one of the spouses is working, does that make any difference?

[Geneviève Dion]

Are you talking about the new measure that was established?

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Yes, exactly.

[Geneviève Dion]

Yes, it is the same amount for everyone. Someone who earns $100,000 per year and has a severely disabled child is entitled to $950. The same amount is provided to someone who earns $9,000 per year and is on social assistance. They all receive the same amount.

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

The program ends when the child turns 18, even though they are still sick.

[Geneviève Dion]

The assistance is cancelled on the child's eighteenth birthday. The child is still disabled though, even though they are 18. It is simply a number.

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Can you tell us a bit about other measures that could be adopted, not only in Quebec, but throughout Canada, for people in your situation?

[Geneviève Dion]

The ideal would be to be treated the same as women who work, since they have the right to contribute to a retirement plan. What we do currently is not recognized as work. We are therefore deprived of all the rights that a working woman has. That in itself is patently unfair.

Assistance that is based on the seriousness of the disability would also be welcome. That is how it works in France: there is a rule whereby the amount provided is scaled to...

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Is it based on the parents' income?

[Geneviève Dion]

No. It's based on the seriousness of the disability. I don't know whether the income level is also taken into consideration. However, it's definitely based on the seriousness of the disability, which is much more logical.

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Okay.

I have another question.

On your website, the parents of a child with a severe disability can fill in a form. They can share their story and talk more about their child.

How many responses have you received since posting the form on your website?

[Geneviève Dion]

We've received 5,000.

We said earlier that we were close to our people. That's truly the case. Parents jusqu'au bout is a cause that speaks for itself. We've received a great deal of media and political attention. Our organization is also very well known in pediatric hospitals. Even the doctors who announce diagnoses to parents tell them about Parents jusqu'au bout and the government's new measure. The movement is very well known in the field.

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

What are the most common issues and needs indicated by parents who complete the form?

[Marilyne Picard]

The issues are home support and the need for respite.

[Geneviève Dion]

The parents talk about the major lack of support.

[Marilyne Picard]

It's terrible that a mother—we're talking about a mother because it's mothers in 98% or 99% of cases—who takes care of her child for 24 hours a day has only four hours a week of home support. That's unacceptable.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Thank you.

Now we'll go to Ms. Harder for five minutes.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you very much.

Thank you so much for coming and being willing to share your stories with us, especially you three because I know it must make you feel quite vulnerable to welcome us into your personal lives. Thank you for being brave and allowing us that opportunity to learn from you today. We do appreciate it.

My first question is for Ms. Benson. I'm going to pick up on where you left off with regard to quotas. You mentioned that you don't believe quotas are the best way to move forward to create equality for women, or an equal number of women around the board table or in an institution or organization. Why do you believe that to be the case? What do you believe would be some of the messages that might be communicated toward women by our going to a quota system?

[Ramona Benson]

Absolutely. I do believe that you need to train, educate, and mentor people for certain jobs whether they be men or women so that people can be good at their jobs and competent. They don't want to be benchwarmers, though I do believe, yes, that you need to have representation of ethnic minorities, women, and all of them, in government and the private sector. But it's interesting that in this day and age we still equate women with a minority group in the way we treat the situation. I think we need to go back having that mentorship available for them, as well as having somebody who is trained and educated for a certain role whether it's through work experience or....

As for me, I didn't study business in university. I didn't study telecommunications or technology. I gained that over a 10-year period through work experience and dedication. I've worked internationally. I've had to give up a lot of my personal time to do that, and not everybody is fortunate enough to do that, but you need to create streamlines. That's why I go back to the German system and how they're doing it.

In the economic recession of 2008, I was living in London, working for a German company. When I saw everybody in the financial sector in London carrying boxes out of their offices, Germany was still hiring. I still had a job. Even western Germany, Bavaria, had more jobs than qualified people, even in small towns. I worked for two companies: one was based in Munich, the other in Würzburg, just south of Frankfurt.

There is a lot of opportunity in Germany because they have a system where they look at the industries they have, the sectors, and try to match people to jobs. I think that is the best way to go to have a dedicated, competent, qualified workforce.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

When we impose a quota system or make it mandatory that 50% of staff in a work setting or a board, or in some sort of leadership capacity, have to be men and 50% women, does that send a specific message to women? Does it send any negative messages with regard to women?