Status of Women Committee on Nov. 24th, 2020

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

It was CARE International. They are of course a very well-respected organization nationally and domestically. Your point about supports for women entrepreneurs is an important one. First, the partnership with the regional development agencies that provided funding through, for example, Community Futures Development Corporation has been able to provide targeted supports to entrepreneurs.

My colleague Minister Ng was able to secure an additional $15 million for women entrepreneurs across the country. Most recently our finance minister was able to put forward additional measures that provided small businesses with additional supports for their fixed costs. It was great to see it move forward earlier this week; I think it was yesterday. I'm very much looking forward to ensuring that those businesses that can remain viable stay so, and those businesses that are so critical to the character and the vitality of our communities have the supports they need to make it through a difficult winter.

As we approach Christmas, as we approach the holiday season, I know all of us are going to do our part as MPs to encourage buy local measures, particularly in smaller and rural communities where those entrepreneurs are doing everything they can to keep their doors open. They need to know that we'll be there for them just as we've been since the beginning of the pandemic.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Thank you.

Ms. Mathyssen, you have six minutes.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Minister, for appearing today.

I just want to continue on with the line of questioning from my colleague from the Bloc. With all due respect to CARE—they are a wonderful organization, absolutely—but considering that we heard from a majority of witnesses throughout our study about how COVID has impacted women, I find it difficult to hear that so many women have fallen through the cracks, especially when the government was pushed on the fact that when CERB was provided, there wasn't an actual GBA+ lens applied to it. If in fact that is the case, in terms of the new programs for EI, the caregiving benefit, the paid sick leave and so on, do we have your assurance that, moving forward, a GBA+ lens will be absolutely applied?

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

Thank you for that very important question.

COVID has highlighted challenges that existed before the pandemic. Structural, systemic challenges that were hurting communities pre-COVID are in sharp focus now. It may be difficult to consider that CARE has recognized Canada as having the best intersectional gendered response, but it's true, and it doesn't mean that we don't have more work to do. On those three measures that you referred to as well as the new CERB—EI, the caregiving benefit, sick leave—an intersectional gendered lens was applied.

I think we can all agree that those particular measures are going to disproportionately benefit women, disproportionately benefit racialized women, disproportionately benefit those who perhaps did not have these care benefits before COVID, but now don't have to make the difficult choice between staying home when they or a loved one is sick or going to work and risking the spread of this very cruel disease.

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

Thank you.

In 2018, after a lot pressure and work from the New Democrats, which we're very proud of, your government introduced the pay equity legislation. However, a few weeks ago, the PBO published a report saying that the government hadn't actually implemented the act. We have the law, but I'm hoping to know when pay equity will actually be a reality. They also stated that the government would need to invest $621 million per year. For women, that's $621 million that women have been short-changed in terms of pay equity.

I'm hoping to have a commitment from you today, Minister, that the inequality served will be addressed in the upcoming 2021 budget.

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

That's another really important question.

Pay equity is about ultimately valuing the work that is predominantly done by women. It's not just the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do. As you mentioned, the legislation is put forward, and we are working on implementation.

As you know, Karen Jansen has been appointed to serve as Canada's first pay equity commissioner. She's developing tools and resources for employers to be able to support employees with the implementation. In light of the need for many workplaces to focus on COVID-19 over the last number of months, we have slightly delayed the publication of the regulations for a later time, with the potential of coming into force in 2021. We want to get this right, and Minister Tassi, the minister tasked with the implementation, is absolutely on it.

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

I didn't quite hear that this money would be included in the 2021 budget. Is that a commitment you're willing to make?

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

I think that's a very good question to ask our finance minister, who is working very hard on ensuring that the fall economic statement on the 30th moves forward, and then she'll be focusing her attention on the budget.

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

I'm sure you have some influence with her, so I'm hoping that will take place.

Additionally, one of the things that we spoke about and that I certainly asked you about in July was child care. I know this isn't directly within your purview and your portfolio. However, we have certainly heard time after time from witnesses in every field that a universal, affordable child care strategy is key.

I'm wondering again whether you've had conversations with both the Minister of Finance and your colleague, Minister Hussen, the Minister for Families, Children, and Social Development. Will the money that was promised by the House in a unanimous consent motion, the $2 billion, as well as what witnesses and stakeholders in child care are asking for—$10 million over the next five years—be in the 2021 budget?

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

Early learning and child care are critical to a full recovery from COVID. In July we were able to announce $625 million in federal supports for the child care sector, to ensure that it was safe and that the spaces could stay open. In addition to the bilateral agreements on early learning and child care, this investment means that this year alone the Government of Canada has invested $1.2 billion in child care. That's a 67% increase over the next highest year in history. Because of our investments, over 40,000 child care spaces have been created.

Absolutely, Minister Hussen is working diligently, and we are supporting him to do just that.

The keyword that I've learned from Professor Kate Bezanson is “system”. Canada needs a child care system.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Thank you.

Now we will go into our second round.

We'll start with Ms. Jag Sahota for five minutes.

[Jag Sahota, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister, I asked you about gender-based analysis and if the programs had that lens applied. Women were being left out of some programs where they couldn't get financial support. You said that Minister Qualtrough was fixing the programs, or had fixed the problems so women could get support.

How and why did we get to the stage where the program needed to be fixed? Your mandate letter requires you to apply the gender-based analysis lens before the programs are rolled out, not two, four, six or eight months later when women have already lost their jobs and feel the financial impact.

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

I think every Canadian appreciates that we are in the middle of an unprecedented crisis and that the pandemic is something that we have been working on since the beginning of the year. I think Canadians also appreciate that their government listens. When they say something needs to be improved, when they say something is better, I think Canadians expect the government to listen, and we've done just that.

In addition to the supports we've put forward around parental leave and mat leave, we were able to put forward a credit—

[Jag Sahota, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Minister, my question is this: Why wasn't the gender analysis lens applied before the programs were rolled out, such that we needed to fix those programs afterwards?

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

We were able to put forward a historic number of programs and deliver them in record time. Canadians told us to focus on speed and to perfect the programs after they had been rolled out. We did just that.

Canadians can rest assured that we'll continue to be there for them throughout COVID and post-COVID. We will take what they have to say seriously and respond to their needs. Members of Parliament have played a really big role in providing those eyes and ears on the ground to ensure that the decisions we make in such tight timelines, in a matter of months compared with years, take into account lived realities, as well.

[Jag Sahota, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

You still didn't answer my question, but I'll try a different question and hope for an answer.

Minister, your departmental plan states that WAGE will focus on “reducing the wage gap”.

Recently the Parliamentary Budget Officer released a report entitled “Fiscal Analysis of Federal Pay Equity”. The purpose of this report was to examine the cost of closing the wage gap, which is a concept that we support. However, the government would not release the information requested by the PBO so that he could make a proper assessment and a report. Additionally, he noted that over $49 million had been allocated to research and setting up an office.

Minister, can you please tell the committee why the government believes it needs to spend $49 million to research an issue that we already have significant studies on? What is the government hiding? Why won't it release the information requested by a non-partisan independent parliamentary officer?

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

With due respect, gender is not mentioned even once in Mr. O'Toole's leadership platform. Equality doesn't come up once. Women, when they're mentioned, are mentioned in their traditional roles—

[Jag Sahota, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Can you answer the question, Minister, please?

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

Absolutely. And there is no mention of gender-based violence in your leader's platform.

We will do everything we can to respond—

[Jag Sahota, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

My question is addressed to you. Why is the information not being released to a non-partisan independent parliamentary officer?

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

We will do everything we can to respond to the very real needs of Canadian women in this difficult time.

I will add that your party has not stepped up. It has not put it in writing. It is not in your leader's platform. I'd appreciate some of your activism being directed towards your own leader and your own party.

[Jag Sahota, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

It was just that I am not getting any answers from you. I am going to try another question in the hope of getting an answer.

In the 2020-21 departmental plan it states that WAGE will develop a guaranteed paid family leave program.

Can you please advise this committee when we can see a proposed program?

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

I'm going to direct this question to my deputy minister, the wonderful Guylaine Roy.

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

Good morning, everybody.

I believe that the honourable member is referring to support we would give to another department, the department led by Minister Qualtrough.

WAGE has a mandate for gender equality, but we also have a mandate of supporting other departments on key initiatives that are important levers to support women and gender equality. I believe your reference is about.... When you talk about a guaranteed paid leave program, it's probably a program that doesn't belong, per se, to WAGE, but we are in support of other departments.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Very good, and that's your time.

Now we're going to Mrs. Zahid and Ms. Sidhu, who will be sharing their time.

You have five minutes.