Mr. Speaker, I am quite amazed to see this motion by the opposition. I would have wished for a preamble which could have read as follows: "That this House commend the government for all the measures it has taken to date to create opportunities for women".
My hon. colleague is forgetting that, in our 1994 budget, we reiterated our commitment at the federal level to provide $100 million to the emergency repair program. We also reinstated the court challenges program which provides funding for cases
relating to the provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that guarantee equality rights.
I want to stress that these programs have expanded jurisprudence relating to positive economic action for women. Also, our government announced the establishment of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, another major initiative on behalf of women facing discrimination both on the grounds of sex and race.
I could cite at least 15 to 18 different initiatives this government has taken to date to create opportunities for Canadian women. Therefore, I am surprised to hear the opposition parties attack the government like this. I would like to tell my hon. colleagues that one year after taking office, we have accomplished a lot for women, when compared to the record of the previous government over ten years. I wonder why my hon. colleague does not rise to commend the government.