Evidence of meeting #68 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 million.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Thank you for the question.
I will be in the Northwest Territories next week to sign with that province. Nunavut is the only other territory, but Nunavut is aligned with Ontario, so that is being worked out.
With New Brunswick, it's just a matter of working some things out as far as location goes. It will be signed soon enough.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
Increased federal health transfers are one of the solutions that often come up, especially in Quebec, when it comes to dealing with issues in the provinces. It's something the provinces have called for unanimously. In Quebec, that funding would give our network of community organizations a boost. That includes shelters, which work closely with health and social service authorities. Aren't those transfers a good way to help community organizations and prevent overlap?
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
I'm talking about health transfers to give more support to organizations on the ground. For example, our shelter organizations in Quebec—
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
Can I start my question over? Can you please stop the clock, Madam Chair?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Give me one moment, please. We're going to pause for a second. I'm trying to see if it's working for French.
Is it all good? Are you able to hear your translation now, Andréanne? Can you hear me?
Yes, you can hear me speaking in English. Excellent.
I stopped the clock. Go back to your question, Andréanne.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
Thank you.
Minister, I was simply talking about health transfers to help organizations on the ground. In Quebec, community organizations like women's shelters are funded by the department of health and social services, so I was asking whether it wouldn't be a good idea to consider increasing the transfers to prevent overlap.
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Thank you for your question.
I will talk a bit about the national action plan to end gender-based violence.
What that does is bring together provinces and territories, because those provinces and territories, including Quebec, know what they need. Federally, we are working together with all provinces and territories, Quebec included. I have had extensive conversations with Madame Biron to make sure that what Quebec needs, it gets.
That's why provinces are at the table.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
You're talking about Martine Biron, the Quebec Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, are you not?
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
All right.
Your department's funding has decreased significantly, from $325 million in 2022‑23 to $290 million this year. That's an 11% drop.
Why has your funding decreased? All the studies carried out by the Standing Committee on the Status of Women show how significant the needs are and how important it is to continue investing, not invest less.
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Would you mind repeating the question? Where is the decrease you're referring to?
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
Your department's funding has gone from $325 million to $290 million this year. That's a decrease of 11%. All the studies done by the status of women committee show the need for investment, for a sizable budget, and especially, the importance of not cutting the department's funding. Why, then, has your budget gone down?
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Is it shelters for grassroots organizations that you're talking about, all around?
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
It's a pleasure to take this question and clear this up.
It was $300 million in emergency funding that we stepped up and brought to the table during the pandemic. That meant that shelters were able to keep their doors open. It meant they were able to keep their lights on and, most importantly, able to serve the people who needed help most.
We are at a point now—and we learned a lot then—when this isn't about band-aid solutions. We can't keep going from emergency to emergency and say we're going to plug this hole, plug this hole and plug this hole. This is why we have a 10-year action plan to end gender-based violence. It's why provinces and territories are part of that plan.
This is about long-term solutions. It is not about band-aid solutions. It is about looking at what we need, involving the provinces, making sure they're at the table and holding them to account.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
The pandemic isn't really over, with many organizations still in need of a lot of help, and yet, your department's budget has gone down by 11%. The pandemic has made existing problems worse. What we've seen is just the tip of the iceberg, so it's something we have to continue to address.
You say you are a feminist. Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy was adopted in 2017 to help close gender gaps around the world. We can see, however, that the federal government isn't able to show how that assistance has contributed to better outcomes for women and girls.
How do you explain that? Have you spoken to your colleagues in foreign affairs? Are you going to make sure that your government puts measures in place to monitor and evaluate feminist international assistance?
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Again, I'm not just saying that I'm feminist; I am indeed feminist, and so is this government. I'll just say that off the top.
These are places that we have stepped up where provinces, frankly, should be, and that absence is not going to continue. We have to work together. Provinces and territories have to be engaged, and this is why a national action plan to end gender-based violence—and that word “end” means something—is in place. Those negotiations are happening right now. I look forward to meeting with my colleagues in P.E.I.—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you very much, Minister.
We're now going to move over to Leah Gazan. Leah, you have six minutes.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
It's nice to see you, Minister.
My first question pertains to charitable status. In 2021, your government promised to remove charitable status from anti-choice organizations that provide false information about reproductive health. Why has nothing been done to date?
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
If you're talking about Canada summer jobs.... Is that what you're talking about?
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Crisis pregnancy centres, for example, still receive funding, and they provide false information about reproductive health services.
Liberal
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Thank you very much.
I know that your government acknowledges the right to reproductive health services, including access to safe abortions. I certainly support upholding that right, but the reality is that a right is only as good as access.
I'll give you examples. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario only provide abortion in urban centres. Depending on the province, you can access an abortion depending on the weeks of gestation. In New Brunswick, the province illegally refuses to pay for abortion services outside of hospital settings.
I'm wondering if there's any sort of will from your government to uphold the Canada Health Act and intervene in places and provinces that fail to ensure fair and equal access to abortion services and other reproductive health care services.
I share this because although there's a lot of talk about the right to reproductive health services, a lot of people can't access those services, including, for example, people in remote northern communities in Manitoba.