Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the comments of the Secretary of State for the Status of Women.
An important point which stuck with me is the complex family structures we have these days. There is no single tax burden or initiative that is going to make everything equal and equitable for everyone. We have to look at it in the context of tax measures and non tax measures as well as other social policy and economic initiatives. I congratulate the Secretary of State for the Status of Women.
The secretary of state is responsible for the status of women. This morning in the Globe and Mail I read a piece that concerned me a bit and I hope she will be able to help. I am sure mothers have read this and I am sure that Mothers Are Women, Kids First and other groups have read it. It quotes a report from the status of women. I do not know who wrote it. It says that any new measure targeted only at parents who stay at home to provide care to children would only further reinforce barriers to employment by reducing the incentive to engage in paid work.
This says to me that what we have now represents incentives to go to paid work and if we do anything for those who choose to stay at home, that incentive would be a negative.
I need some help from the Secretary of State on the Status of Women on this issue.