Status of Women Committee on Nov. 3rd, 2025

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you for your question.

Again, as I said before with regard to funding to address gender-based violence, in 2023-24 alone, over 280,000 resources were delivered and over 731,000 individuals benefited. More than 43% of all federal investments were allocated for prevention efforts, which is well above the initial target of 25%.

Our government believes that addressing gender-based—

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

It’s not working, madam. All the indicators are flashing red. All crimes against women are on the rise.

I’m going to ask you another question.

Your predecessor was responsible for women and young people, while you are responsible for women, gender equality, tourism and small businesses.

Given such a disastrous record on women’s safety, I would like to know how much of your work is devoted to women.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you for your question.

I want to explain to my honourable colleague that there is integration among all three mandates. As I said earlier, Canadians have asked us to keep them safe. Keeping Canadians safe and addressing issues like gender-based violence means they will be able to contribute to this economy, help build the economy and participate in the economy fully. Gender-based violence alone, unfortunately, costs billions of dollars for our economy. That's why ensuring that we have funding investments that are secure, safe and predictable for the women and gender equality ministry allows us to support those who are facing violence.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Thank you.

One of your five objectives, Minister, is to strengthen the organizational well-being and capacity of Women and Gender Equality Canada. That sounds a lot like bureaucracy.

How does that help survivors, keep women safe and reduce crime? What does that have to do with your department?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Again, we know that gender-based violence is widespread and rising considerably. Violence, including gender-based violence, is a key pathway to homelessness, particularly for women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals.

However, again, through our announced investments—I've already mentioned those a few times today—we are going to help ensure that we're able to keep Canadians safe, help victims who are fleeing violence and—

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Minister, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but you haven't understood my question. I will repeat it.

Your departmental plan mentions five objectives, and the last one, tourism and small business, has nothing to do with women. It's about building organizational well-being and capacity at WAGE. I was a minister for eight years, and that seems like a lot of bureaucracy to me. It doesn't help women.

Explain to us why that's one of your objectives.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

What I can say, again, is that, for example, the pillars we have in our gender-based violence national action plan are to support victims, survivors and families, and 25% of all funding, federally, is going towards the prevention of gender-based violence.

This also helps us to respond to the justice system and to implement an indigenous lens to—

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Thank you, Minister. I have only a few seconds left to address you again.

I reiterate that the announcement you made is contempt of Parliament. When I was in the Quebec legislature, that was not allowed because it can have an impact on the stock market and lead to all kinds of negative consequences. What you did is contempt of Parliament, and my colleague from the Bloc Québécois joins me in saying so. You should stop doing that. It is unacceptable and despicable. Parliamentarians will be meeting tomorrow for the tabling of your budget, but last week, you left off by announcing more than half a billion dollars. That is reprehensible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

That's your time.

We're now going to Ms. Nathan for five minutes.

[Juanita Nathan, Liberal, Pickering—Brooklin, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you to the minister for being here today.

Minister, you recently announced $189 million in renewed funding for the Black entrepreneurship program. In communities like Pickering—Brooklin, we are seeing a growing number of Black-owned businesses contributing to local job creation and economic growth. In fact, recent regional data shows that the number of Black entrepreneurs in the Durham region has increased by over 30% in the past five years, with many concentrated in sectors such as tech, retail and professional services. I personally had the opportunity to visit businesses such as the Snooze Room, a Black-owned business that provides multi-sensory space for those with neurodivergent needs to everyday corporate groups in the Pickering area.

We also have chapters of the Black Chamber of Commerce and the Congress of Black Women of Canada, which both share spaces in the building of local economic opportunities, both in Pickering—Brooklin and across the country.

Minister, can you please share with the committee how this renewed funding is helping Black entrepreneurs not only start and grow their businesses but also build long-term sustainability, connect national organizations on Black entrepreneurship and create opportunities that strengthen our local economies, please?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

The renewed Black entrepreneurship program supports efforts that address anti-Black racism and the systemic discrimination that has existed for a long time. The Black entrepreneurship program is a very key part of the Black justice strategy that supports employment and income opportunities for Black Canadians as they start, grow and scale their businesses, whether that's gaining business skills, helping to provide employment or helping them build wealth. I'm very proud of the Black entrepreneurship program, because I have seen what it's done to provide loans and funding for Black entrepreneurs investing in this incredible ecosystem across the country. That really helps support those entrepreneurs start and scale their businesses and get access to resources that they never knew existed before.

Finally, there's the Black entrepreneurship knowledge hub. This is something we're extremely proud of, because the knowledge hub puts Black entrepreneurs on a digital map that connects Black entrepreneurs right across the country.

Regarding the organizations that the member opposite has already shared, I'm very proud to also have been able to meet and work with them. We're going to continue to support Black entrepreneurs and, by doing that, we can build the strongest economy in the G7.

[Juanita Nathan, Liberal, Pickering—Brooklin, ON]

Thank you so much for that.

I also want to ask you about the investments and the funding that you're putting in, because, as you know, the fight against gender-based violence is an ongoing effort that requires the involvement and the engagement of every single Canadian. That includes men and boys. Can you share the work that your department does to ensure that men and boys are included in these important conversations, please?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Absolutely. At the recent meeting we had with the status of women provincial and territorial ministers, this was a key topic that kept coming up again and again. The work of gender equality requires every single one of us, including men and boys, to be part of that conversation. That means working together to engage men and boys so that they are part of the work that we're doing, so that they can help promote respect, challenge harmful norms and promote healthy relationships as well. Our department funds projects that engage men and boys. This includes organizations like Next Gen Men, for example, which does incredible work empowering men by directly involving them in these conversations in a healthy and productive way. So far, we have provided them with $1.3 million through both the women's program and the gender-based violence program.

We will continue to engage men and boys to be part of this work so we can build more equality in our country.

[Juanita Nathan, Liberal, Pickering—Brooklin, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

I have 30 seconds. I want to thank you for coming here to explain the program and the funding opportunities that you have had so far. Thank you for your service.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

For the last two and a half minutes, we have Madame Larouche.

Then the minister will go, but the department officials will stay, and we'll be able to ask some more questions.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister, you are announcing funding to strengthen federal measures to end gender-based violence. Is that your national action plan to end gender-based violence? Is this money earmarked for the plan?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you for your question.

The funds we announced through the $660 million are to support ending gender-based violence directly through the national organizations. The national action plan to end gender-based violence is separate from that. The funds are already there and in place all the way through to 2027.

I'm sure the deputy can go into that after I leave. What I can say is that the funding I announced is in addition to this.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Minister, last week, Quebec's justice minister announced the creation of the 25th specialized court for sexual violence and domestic violence in Montreal. In Quebec, there was a widespread reckoning after the Rebâtir la confiance, or rebuilding trust, report was published.

When you talk about strengthening the measures in the federal national action plan, I was wondering if you had actually spoken with your Quebec counterparts. In Quebec, there is different expertise. For example, elected officials worked on the Rebâtir la confiance report. Their demands, and those we hear in committee, are clear when it comes to addressing violence against women. The federal government could, for example, criminalize coercive control.

Minister, do you share that view?

Are you talking to the Secretary of State for Seniors to work on the specific issue of senior women living in poverty?

Are you talking to the Minister of Justice?

Are you talking to the Minister of Public Safety?

We can't solve this issue with money, bureaucracy and lofty yet empty objectives. Of course, we need resources, but we also need as broad a vision as possible.

Are you talking to your colleagues in other departments who could help you work on issues of violence against women?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you for your question.

Madam Chair, I'm going to try my best to answer all those questions.

First, yes, I have met with the former status of women minister for Quebec. I look forward to meeting the new status of women minister for Quebec. Again, in my role as a convenor, I actively meet regularly not just with caucus colleagues but also with cabinet ministers in those various different roles so that we can continue to work and advocate for women and gender-diverse people to ensure that the policies we put forward are shaped with all of their feedback.

I've never had the opportunity to share this, but since you talked about gender-based violence, the bail and sentencing reform act will bring forward 80 clauses of targeted changes to the Criminal Code, following extensive consultations with police, mayors, provinces and victim advocates. The reverse onus provisions in the bail legislation we'll put forward are extremely important.

We're doing our part. I just hope the provincial responsibility will take action, as well, to strengthen bail and sentencing laws, ensuring that they're administering them, investing in infrastructure and resources, and funding the police accordingly within their respective jurisdictions. If they're able to do that, we'll do our part federally. If the provinces are able to do their part, we can move the needle in ensuring we're ending gender-based violence.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Thank you so much, Minister.

On behalf of the committee, I appreciate your time. I encourage you to continue your good work to eliminate gender-based violence here in Canada.

We'll give you an opportunity to take your leave.

I invite the other department officials to come to the table. Then we will be able to continue our rounds.

I will give you a couple of minutes. I will suspend while you do that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

I welcome all the officials from the various departments. I look forward to their answers.

We're continuing with our third round, with Ms. Roberts for five minutes.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you very much for joining us today. We have a lot of important questions we'd like answered, so maybe you can help us out.

The percentage of seniors using a food bank is 8.3%. That's up from 6.8% in 2019. Here is one of the comments that came through about hunger in Canada: “I often have to choose between buying medication and buying groceries. It's food that I do without more often than not.” This comment came from a senior in Ontario.

My question for your department is this: How is it assisting the 39% of single seniors who do not benefit from income splitting? I pose that question to whoever would like to answer it.

[Frances McRae]

I will start.

Clearly, seniors are a critical area for our society. Given the mandate of the Department for Women and Gender Equality, we have some programming that we work on with seniors groups. The minister talked about a couple of those. Our programming is focused on things like gender-based violence, addressing women in the economy and addressing women in leadership. Those are the primary areas of our work.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

I'm sorry to interrupt. My question is this: What programs does the department plan to implement—hopefully we'll hear it in the budget tomorrow—for the 39% of single seniors who are living below the poverty line? That's 58,255 widowed seniors who are living below the poverty line, and they're all over 65. They go out and get a job. They're working into their seventies, and some of them into their early eighties, to make up the difference so that they can pay for their food and their medication, but here's what happens: They get their extra dollar, but they get cut off GIS, because they've earned too much money. They're backtracking and not any further ahead.

I'll ask the question again. What is in the budget—if you can disclose that to us—to help seniors live above the poverty line, not below it?

[Frances McRae]

We certainly are not at liberty to disclose anything in the budget.