Rona Ambrose

[Status of Women, May 7th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I repeat again that this government has increased funding to record levels to women's groups. We are funding projects in every province and every territory across the country.

Through violence prevention workshops in Winnipeg, we are assisting aboriginal women and young girls in the inner city to help them understand and overcome the barriers that face them. In Lower Mainland B.C., we will be reducing the isolation of refugee and new immigrant women.

All of these are great projects. All the projects that come into our department have merit. We cannot fund all of them. I would ask the member to stop pitting women's groups against each other and work with us to support women.

[Status of Women, May 7th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, this government has increased funding to the highest level, to record levels, more than any other government in the past. In fact, more women's groups are applying than ever before because our program is working so well.

Let me tell members about another project in the Korean Canadian Women's Association where family and social services is running a 24-month project in Toronto to help the community face violence against women.

We are now funding 40% new projects that have never received funding before and almost 40% of our projects are going to end violence against women. It is something we are all proud of, and I ask the member to support this.

[Status of Women, May 7th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to tell the House that our government has increased the funding for women's groups to the highest level ever in the history of the Government of Canada.

In fact, we now have projects we are funding in every province and territory across the country. Let me tell the member about one right in Montreal where we are helping low-earning women from slipping below the poverty line, helping female entrepreneurs build projects and give young, old and immigrant women access to jobs.

I would like to ask the member if she is suggesting that we not support these groups. I would also like the opposition to stop pitting women's groups against each other and work with the government to support women.

[International Co-operation, May 7th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the facts are what World Vision tells us. It tells us that every day, as we sit in this chamber, 24,000 children will die under the age of five. Our government is bringing the world together in June with a goal to save the lives of women and children.

We also know that development leaders tell us:

Every year nine million women around the world watch as their children die from painful, preventable illnesses that often cost dimes, not dollars, to treat.

We have a responsibility to act to save these children. It is the right thing to do. It is something all of us can get behind. We ask the opposition to support this great initiative.

[Status of Women, May 6th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is completely incorrect. This government has increased funding for women's groups across Canada to record levels. We are very proud of that. In fact, we are supporting projects in every province and territory in Canada now.

These programs are working so well that we are oversubscribed. In fact, we have more women's groups applying than ever before. All of these groups have merit and are doing great work across the country but we cannot fund everyone. However, I am very proud that 42% of our funding this year will go to groups that are working to end violence against women.

[Status of Women, May 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud again to reiterate that our government has now invested record amounts of funding in women's programming. One of the things I hear a lot about across the country from women is that they want to feel safe in their communities and homes.

This is why I am proud that our government has done more than any other government in the history of our country to keep women safe. We have introduced new laws to ensure we keep rapists and murderers off the street and to ensure we protect children from sexual predators. That is what women want and I hope the member opposite will support us.

[Status of Women, May 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to inform the member that our government has increased the funding for women's programs to the highest level in the history of Canada. We are now supporting women through projects in every province and territory across the country. In fact, more women's groups are applying than ever before. Why? It is because our programs are working. They are achieving results. In fact, we have funding right in the hon. member's riding. I am sure she will support that as well.

[International Co-operation, April 29th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on how we can make a difference in saving the lives of women and children in ways that unite us, not divide us. In fact, together with our G8 partners, we agree that maternal and child health must be a priority.

The meeting in Muskoka gives us a historic opportunity to save the lives of millions of women and children. It is a laudable goal. It is an honourable goal. It is one that we can all get behind.

[Status of Women, April 27th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to inform the member, in fact, that our government has increased the funding to the women's program to its highest level ever.

However, when it comes to women's rights, I would like to ask the member why members of her party get up and ask questions about our troops in Afghanistan all the time, but never ask about women in Afghanistan. I was recently there. Before we went into Afghanistan, zero women were going to school. Today, over two million little girls are going to school and that is because our troops are there.

The next time members in the NDP get up and ask about our troops, I would like them to recognize all the good work they are doing on behalf of women.

[Status of Women, April 20th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I know this organization does good work in the area of pay equity.

Let me just say how proud I am of the work this government has done to ensure we have successful women in the public service. In fact, we are proud to have elevated intelligent and competent women in the public service.

When it comes to pay equity, more than half of the public service is now made up of women and 43% of the deputy ministers who lead the public service are women.

We will continue to support women, and we will continue to push the envelope to make sure women reach their full potential in public life.