Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), the Government of Canada cannot yet respond to this question since it is expected to begin collecting information from all federal departments in the summer of 2008 to submit an update on its implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in the fall of 2008. Updated information on its implementation will be made available at this time.
The Government of Canada announced in budget 2008 that it will develop an action plan to advance the equality of women across Canada through the improvement of their economic and social conditions and their participation in democratic life.
In response to (b), Canada is required to provide a report to the United Nations every four years on measures taken to implement the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women. Canada’s last reports, i.e., the sixth and seventh reports, were submitted to the United Nations on May 3, 2007 and covered the period of April 1999 to March 2006. Canada will provide an update to the reports at its next appearance before the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, which is scheduled to take place in October or November 2008.
Canada’s next report to the United Nations will cover the period of April 2006 to March 2010 and will be due in January 2011. The Department of Canadian Heritage will coordinate, on behalf of the federal government, the preparation of the report by federal, provincial and territorial governments.