House of Commons Hansard #155 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.

Topics

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

The hon. member for London--Fanshawe.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Chair, I asked what the status is of the policy research fund. What is its status? I would appreciate an answer to my question.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Oda Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Chair, the policy research fund has been ceased. The research abilities remain within Status of Women Canada and the ability for the research behind the needs of Canadian women will be done with--

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

The hon. member for London--Fanshawe.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

You assured me, minister, that the outstanding publication--

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

This is the second time that the hon. member for London--Fanshawe has referred to the minister in the second person. In the future, I would appreciate her referring in the third person, through the Chair.

The hon. Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Oda Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Chair, the outstanding policy research fund reports that four reports have been posted at the Status of Women Canada website in recent weeks. Seven more will be posted by the end of June. The nine that are remaining require more work and will not be completed.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Chair, the funding mandate your government set for the women's program is flawed and ineffective. Have you changed the terms and conditions of the women's program?

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Oda Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Chair, as I announced in September 2006, the terms and conditions have been amended so that the program and the support can more directly impact the lives of communities and women. They are going to support organizations that work day after day to help women in their neighbourhoods and that are going to help women with the greatest need.

Yes, we have amended the terms and conditions to make sure that--

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

I know that we are in committee of the whole, but the debate is not direct. It is always through the Chair. The hon. member for London--Fanshawe has the floor.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Chair, two new program announcements by the minister's government have been made. I would like to know when those programs will actually begin.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Oda Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Chair, we are actually in the last stage of posting the terms and conditions and the necessary guidelines and making available the application forms. Those application forms in fact will be available on the Status of Women website for the first time--

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

The hon. member for London--Fanshawe.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Chair, what are the parameters of those new programs?

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Oda Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Chair, as I have indicated previously to this House, there are two programs. There is the women's community fund and the women's partnership fund.

The women's community fund is to support organizations that are working in the community in regard to proposals they put forward that will address the needs.

The partnership fund is there so that non-governmental organizations can work with other levels of government and government agencies to have a larger scope of programs, and the proposal--

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

The hon. member for London--Fanshawe.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Chair, I would like to know if a gender based analysis was done on the initial cuts to Status of Women, the changes to the funding mandate, and the decision to close the regional offices.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Oda Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Chair, let me assure the House that Status of Women is there to assist women and is supported by this government. The programs are directed to assist and support women. We have criteria that say--

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

The hon. member for London--Fanshawe.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:30 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Chair, I need to know if a gender based analysis was done on these decisions. I need that answer now.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:30 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Oda Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Chair, let me assure the member opposite and all Canadians that this organization and the programs that we put forward are going to affect 100% women.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:30 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Chair, I need to know if gender-based analysis was done in terms of these decisions? I need to know that now.

I want to know how this decision came about and why is there an application that is demanded in terms of assessing these programs using a gender language?

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:30 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Oda Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Chair, again, we have a member who is using this valuable time stuck on process. I will assure the House that this is the agency that is now responsible to ensure that gender-based analysis is going to be done in every department. We are going to ensure that we have the resources--

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

The hon. member for London—Fanshawe.

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:30 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

I am not going to get an answer to this question, Mr. Chair, so I will move on.

With whom in the women's community did you consult when you made--