Liza Frulla

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I thank the hon. member for his question. This provides us with an opportunity to mention one of the best success stories in the Canada interchange program.

I want to reassure the hon. member that we succeed in reaching young people all across the country and from all walks of life. Our programs are just as accessible to new Canadians, young people living in rural or remote regions, young people who, economically, would not have been able to live these experiences, young people with a disability, or young aboriginals. These programs are geared to them.

In our programs and in our strategy, we want to reflect Canada in its entirety. The programs' criteria are designed to promote diversity and inclusion. The annual objective is set for underrepresented groups, based on Canadian demographics. We exceed these objectives every year.

For example, as regards participation in the programs, young aboriginals account for 6% of participants, while aboriginal people make up 5% of Canada's population. Young people in rural or remote regions account for 35% of participants, while their demographic weight is 23%. Young people with a disability account for 4%, while they represent 6% of all young Canadians. Finally, underprivileged youth account for 19% of participants, while their demographic weight is 16%. So, we reach everybody. The 2003-04 figures are about to be compiled. However, a cursory look shows that the percentages are generally the same as for 2002-03.

We are working in close partnership with service delivery organizations to reach all these groups. We are working with 4-H clubs and YMCAs, and this allows us to reach young people in rural and remote regions across Canada and also young aboriginals and underprivileged youth.

In terms of statistics—and this is important—there are 17,000 exchange opportunities for young people this year. In the end, 87% of the participants develop an increased sense of belonging to Canada.

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, as far as the UN's CDOC recommendation is concerned, we have decided to link with the international community in order to ensure, first of all, that it is a collective effort, and second that we can—again collectively—address problems of specific concern to us, that is violence and cruelty toward women.

We have made national and international commitments, and we are going to make every effort to respect them, given the challenges associated with the Canadian reality, as well as its diversity—

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I will once again refer to my former responsibilities, which I loved, I might add. I must make it clear that it is far from our minds to just take $1.2 billion.

I would remind my hon. colleague that we allocated $150 million of the last budget for early childhood development, so that the provinces could use that money for that purpose, for children from birth to school age. That was the purpose of the program.

Now we have decided to go further. WIth the national child care system, based on a system similar to Quebec's, parents will be able to obtain child care that is accessible, top quality and extremely reasonable, because we will be covering the costs.

So, getting back to early childhood development, the provinces file a report—

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I must admit that my colleague is right. We need to take specific action on behalf of aboriginal women. We are currently working with the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs in setting up an important program to support aboriginal women and to prevent violence. We want to have an integrated program to counteract violence, to help families, to provide help with health and to improve social housing.

We cannot have isolated actions, they must be taken together, combined and interdependent—

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I must tell you that I am very proud to have this position at the Status of Women. I must say that, as a well known feminist myself, I am very proud to have this portfolio. It does not mean that, because I also have the culture and the official language portfolios, I am not able to deal with something that deeply affects me, being a woman and having seen the problems of women, that is the status of women.

Now, I will not work alone. I will work—

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I want to go back to my colleague's remark. Indeed, we must say that the federal government has taken its responsibilities with the national child benefit and early childhood development. However, the province made some cuts. So, you know, when we decide to say that we are on the side of the family, we must do so collectively. We must say that some provinces are taking their responsibilities more than others.

The government is taking its responsibilities. This must also be a collective approach, and the provinces must take and keep their responsibilities.

Concerning support for aboriginal women, I said that there are several components. There is the cultural component and the violence component. We said that we are allocating $1 million over four years to the initiative against family violence, more particularly—

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I am being asked if, in matters of social development, culture and assistance to women, money is enough. There is never enough; we could always do with more.

Once again, it can be said that much remains to be done; in this respect, I agree. On the other hand, it can also be said that we have made much progress and come a long way. More than 71% of women are gainfully employed today, which amounts to an important increase compared to the 44% of 30 years ago.

As I was saying a while ago, our society is evolving. Parental leave is now longer, ranging from six months to one year, under the changes made to the employment insurance program. There is an increase in child-related services for low-income families. We know that governments are committed to establishing a national learning and daycare system for young children.

Do people understand what is meant by the national daycare system for children that I announced during the electoral campaign? Its implementation is now in the hands of my colleague, the Minister of Social Development. It can be seen that--

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, when one compares oneself to others, one does not look so bad. I am referring to my former department, Social Development, and I will address the National Child Benefit, parental leave and direct assistance to families, which arises from the concern with providing support to women in their daily life. That is one thing.

Second, we must talk about the Standing Committee on the Status of Women that has been created and in which I deeply believe. it has been created by my government because this question is a top priority for us.

There is also all the vertical work that we are doing with the tools that we have for--

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I have to start by saying that this is a long term undertaking. No one can say that this is easy work. No one can say either that women have won. This is a long term effort. However, significant steps have been taken.

The first of these steps is in fact the Action plan for gender equality. Second, in 2000, funds were allocated to Status of Women Canada to design these research tools, such as the development of implementation methods for the action plan. Third, the development and delivery of training, learning and promotion programs, the coordination of activities--

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, the first announcements regarding the overall policy on gender equality were made in 1995. We know that, in 2000, money was invested to give the departments the necessary research tools for them to make their announcements—or their self-assessment, let us call it that—on gender equality.

Nowadays, we provide the necessary tools to the various departments. Each individual department uses these tools to see if the Action plan for gender equality is implemented correctly.

I must say that the Department of Citizenship and Immigration is a shining example of a department that--