Thank you.
Evidence of meeting #12 for Status of Women in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was gender-based.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #12 for Status of Women in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was gender-based.
A video is available from Parliament.
2:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you very much, Andréanne.
It is a very difficult time for the community, and I think those are words that we all share.
I'm now going to pass on the final two and a half minutes to Jenny Kwan.
2:55 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I'd like to ask this question of both of the witnesses.
Maybe I'll start with Ms. Vallée. L'R's “Basis of Political Unity” identified that poverty is connected to unpaid care work and government social policies that “prefer to reduce social spending rather than redistributing wealth and creating stable jobs.” We know from research that raising living standards and moving individuals out of poverty is one of the key ways to address intimate partner violence.
My colleague Leah Gazan has put forward a bill for a guaranteed livable basic income to ensure that individuals and families doing unpaid work can have economic autonomy and opportunities to leave harmful living situations.
Would you agree that this is a fundamental step for the government to take to lift individuals out of poverty?
3 p.m.
Co-coordinator, L'R des centres de femmes du Québec
Of course, all these measures added together will yield a result.
It's still important to understand that responsibility for the family, the caregivers are still women. It's still women who look after children. When there is no space in a day care, it's women who stay at home, because, socially, at the moment, it's still men who do jobs that traditionally pay more than the jobs of women, which are often caregiving jobs or in restaurants that are open at times when day care centres are not accessible. I'm talking about restaurants, but we're talking about any business.
If there were a guaranteed minimum income, as mentioned earlier, it would obviously give a good helping hand to these women victims of violence.
3 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Mercy, I think she wanted you to answer, too. You have 30 seconds.
3 p.m.
Executive Director, Immigrant Women Services Ottawa
I think this will be a huge step. Lifting women out of poverty is critical in curbing gender-based violence. Financial security is key. Economic dependence is one of the risk factors that put immigrant women at risk of gender-based violence.
I totally support a guaranteed livable income. Anything that can lift women out of poverty is welcome.
Thank you.
3 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you so much to all of our witnesses today. Thank you to Mercy, Stéphanie, Alice and Emily for joining us for our panel. On behalf of all of us, thank you for your testimony.
Just a reminder, next Tuesday we are so busy. We will have, as an individual, Geneviève Lessard, the Calgary Immigrant Women's Association, Le Centre-Femmes de Bellechasse, Peter Jaffe, La Gîtée, La Jonction pour Elle Inc., Peel Regional Police, the Safe Centre of Peel, as well as the Assembly of First Nations.
Let's stay busy and let's get rested for next Tuesday.
Today's meeting is adjourned.