Status of Women Committee on March 11th, 2021

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Minister, for your presentation and for all the work that you're doing across the country to support women and organizations, especially during this challenging pandemic period.

I also want to thank all the organizations, staff and volunteers that support women's organizations, such as the Horizon Women's Centre in West Nipissing in my constituency, Nickel Belt, and the Centre Victoria pour femmes in Greater Sudbury. They have all told me that they greatly appreciate the additional funding that we provided because of COVID-19.

I also want to draw attention to your work on rural issues, among other things. I want to acknowledge Judith Erola, the member of Parliament for Nickel Belt, who was the first woman minister responsible for the status of women, in 1981. It's incredible that she was the first woman. There were four women members of Parliament at that time.

Here's my question, Madam Minister. What's the difference between the feminist response and recovery fund and the funding normally obtained through calls for proposals?

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

Thank you, Mr. Serré, for your leadership and hard work.

MP Serré, I know this has been a difficult time for you and your team, and despite those challenges, you've helped your community get connected to high-speed Internet, and here you are championing women and gender equality.

The $100-million feminist response and recovery fund, for which we continue to encourage applications, is different from previous funds in that it focuses particularly on those populations that are underserved, under-represented and hardest hit by COVID. Black, indigenous, racialized, rural, young, seniors, we know that these particular groups as well as LGBTQ2 Canadians have been hardest hit by COVID.

This fund is also very flexible in that unless you are a private entity, you qualify for funding. The idea here is that if you have a solution to ensure the health and safety of women and non-binary folks, if you have a solution to help improve the workforce participation of women in this pandemic and moving forward, and if you have ways that you can increase the representation of diverse women's voices around decision-making tables, we want to work with you, and we encourage you to apply. Applications are open until March 24.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you, Madam Minister.

I'm hearing from local organizations about the flexibility we have now with a lot of these different programs and they are able to apply. Also, working closely with the province, in our case, Ontario, has really been a blessing to a lot of the local organizations, so thank you for your leadership in engaging all levels of government on that.

Madam Minister, you have a dual role. You're the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and also the Minister of Rural Economic Development, which is a really interesting and appropriate link to your testimony today. We have a study on the effect on women in rural areas. We heard a lot from witnesses about the challenges of the Internet, the challenges of social services, and the link to making sure that we keep women safe in rural Canada.

I want to give you the opportunity to explain a bit more about our new program that we've launched. It's historic funding—it's never been given by a federal government—for a universal broadband fund. How is that helping organizations and women's organizations all over Canada, especially in rural areas?

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

I can say that our rural MPs, like you and MP Hutchings, have been instrumental in shaping the universal broadband fund. It is meant to connect the last mile of households that have yet to be connected to this essential service.

We launched it on November 9, and in a few days, the call will close. Because of investments that we made in our first mandate, by the end of 2020, tens of thousands of households had access to the Internet. By the end of this year, about a quarter of a million households will have that high-speed connection. That's above and beyond what the universal broadband fund will do.

There is a rapid response component to the UBF, as it's affectionately known in our midst. It is meant to support projects that can have shovels in the ground this construction season and wrap up by the end of this year. We expect to see tens of thousands of households getting connected through this.

Madam Chair, let me also thank this committee for the very important work that it has done in focusing on rural women. We have been applying a rural lens to the entirety of our COVID response as part of the “plus” in the GBA+ that has been sharpened. That's helped us understand particularly the realities of younger and older women in rural communities.

As this committee continues its important work, I highly encourage it to take into account the importance of early learning and child care, particularly how difficult and unique the needs will be in rural Canada. As you've heard from the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, universal early learning and child care is a priority for our government.

I know that this committee cares what happens to rural women. We can't let the mistakes of the past be repeated. In the last recession, rural women were the last to recover from COVID, particularly those with children.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Thank you, Mr. Serré.

Ms. Larouche, you have six minutes.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I want to thank the minister and the other witnesses for being here today to talk about investments that may help women. At least, that's our hope.

During the pandemic, more women lost their jobs, particularly because they held precarious jobs. They also lost their jobs because they had to make the choice to stay home and take care of their families. We saw these realities during the pandemic.

There's also the whole issue of violence. Almost 10% of women feared being victims of violence in the home during the pandemic. In Quebec, there were five femicides in two months. Five women have already died. I'm saying this because this figure hurts. It's unacceptable in 2021.

You also spoke about senior women. They ended up isolated and alone at home. They may not have lost their jobs, but they have been hit hard by the increase in grocery costs, rent and COVID-19 taxes. All the costs have increased for these senior women, but their purchasing power hasn't increased. They had to make difficult choices at the end of the month: housing, food or medication.

You also referred to the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada's report from 50 years ago. Even then, there was talk about the importance of pay equity for women and the importance of achieving it. Legislation was passed in Parliament. We look forward to women being able to experience this equity. We look forward to the government setting an example.

These are only a few issues that have come to light as a result of the pandemic.

I want to address the supplementary estimates. Money is needed to help women. One thing that stands out in this analysis is the fact that $8.7 million set aside for women wasn't spent before the end of last year, or between March and December 2020. The amount is being carried forward in the estimates.

Why weren't we able to spend the $8.7 million?

It seems that the needs were there. Quebec may have known what to do with it, especially in cases of domestic violence.

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

Thank you, Madam Larouche.

I want to acknowledge that Quebeckers have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, with half of the deaths to COVID being mourned by Quebeckers who are missing their loved ones. You're absolutely—

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Madam Chair, we don't have any interpretation.

Can the minister lift up her microphone?

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

Forgive me. Let me try that again.

Madam Larouche, I want to acknowledge that Quebeckers are mourning. More than half of the deaths due to COVID in Canada have been Quebeckers. The whole country mourns with you.

You're also right in that the rates of violence have gone up and that our partnership with Quebec has been instrumental in providing supports to front-line organizations. There is $17.46 million in emergency COVID funds specifically focused on addressing gender-based violence that has gone directly to the Government of Quebec, and they have deployed those dollars to the front line. We're doing that work.

You also made mention of our elders and how they have been harmed. Increases in OAS and GIS have supported our elders. Supports for front-line organizations in the community to be able to better support them have also been part of our priority.

You asked about the funding that my team has been rolling out to the front line. I will perhaps ask my wonderful deputy minister, Guylaine Roy, to respond to that aspect of your question.

[Guylaine F. Roy, Deputy Minister, Department for Women and Gender Equality]

Thank you, Madam Minister.

Thank you, Ms. Larouche.

You asked a question about the supplementary estimates (C). You wanted to know why $8.7 million was apparently not spent. What happened?

My response is the following. In fall 2020, an additional $50 million was provided—

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Madam Larouche, we'll go back to you, because the screen is frozen.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

It's a real shame. I would have liked to hear her response.

[Guylaine F. Roy]

It's a technical matter. The money couldn't be spent before December 31, as required by the legislation. We reached an agreement with Quebec after that date. We're making sure that, in the vote, the $8.7 million is there for Quebec. As the minister said, a total of $17.46 million in emergency funding was provided for Quebec.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

So it's simply because there was no agreement with Quebec before December 31.

[Guylaine F. Roy]

Exactly. The legislation required that the money be spent before December 31. It's a technical matter. However, the money is there for Quebec.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Okay.

In the main estimates, obviously the amount—

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

I'm sorry. That's the end of your time.

Now we're going to Ms. Mathyssen for six minutes.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

I just regret that the technical issues cost me some time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Yes.

We'll go to Ms. Mathyssen for six minutes.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you.

Minister, going back to your mandate letter, it also says that the Prime Minister expects you to “drive systemic change that promotes a fairer and more productive society for women by improving quality of life, advancing leadership and addressing gender-based violence.”

Do you believe it's your role as the minister to address those systemic barriers that women face when it comes to being heard, believed and trusted when they come forward to say they have been a target of gender-based violence, even if it's in our armed forces, and even when it's a cabinet colleague who ignores them?

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

Madam Chair, it is the responsibility of every single one of us to ensure that survivors are heard and that they have the supports they need when they have the courage to come forward. Absolutely I take my responsibility seriously. I'm also fortunate that I'm not the only one around the table who takes on that burden. It is up to all of us.

My colleague referred to the armed forces and the troubling allegations that continue to come forward. If I may, Madam Chair, let me thank every single survivor who has the courage to step up and to share her story. These silence breakers have the ability to give courage to those who are suffering in silence.

Our government is determined to improve the processes so that it's not a matter of confidentiality or lack of trust in these organizations that prevent more victims from coming forward and that we create spaces and institutions and workplaces where all women and non-binary folks can feel safe and that they belong.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Well, that's interesting, but in fact, when a woman did come forward and determined that she needed that confidentiality, she was not listened to. Her complaint was refused by the minister.

I was hoping you could tell us. In your opinion, do you think it was appropriate that the PCO asked the ombudsman, Mr. Walbourne, for the name of the complainant?

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

I think the characterization here, Madam Chair, is inaccurate. There was a process in place to protect the privacy and the confidentiality of victims. That process was followed, a process that we now know needs to be significantly improved. You've heard the Prime Minister. You've heard the Minister of Defence. We're doing exactly that. These institutions can be stubborn in their resistance to change, but our government is committed to ensuring that all survivors feel heard and respected and that they're given the care they need.

I hope that this particular individual, whose name we do not know because she didn't wish us to know, has the support and the care she needs and that all survivors who are being triggered by the nature of the allegations, the testimonies and the coverage have the support they need as well.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Minister, the reason that complaint was not heard and that the investigation didn't happen is that the ombudsman at the time wouldn't release her name to the PCO, and the PCO in fact demanded to know her name. Do you think that was appropriate? Do you think that's actually protecting victims in this instance?

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

It is clear, Madam Chair, that the processes in place are far from perfect, and every time a survivor comes forward, we better understand the gaps in those processes.

As you've heard, every single member of our government who has been asked about this...we are committed to making this better and we are committed to ensuring that we're all working towards a future where no one has to say “Me too”. We're all working towards a future where no victim feels afraid of the system. We're working towards a future where survivors have trust and confidence in the system and they feel free and open to share their names and the details so that justice can be pursued.