Status of Women committee  And we encourage people to ask questions on the gender-based analysis in the next session that HRSDC officials will be attending. I think I'll send the immigration and poverty paper from Statistics Canada to the committee, because I didn't have the information at hand. In my intro I said that down the road we're doing work with the OECD, to look at the labour market side of this issue across OECD countries.

Status of Women committee  I've also heard a lot of talk about some of the maybe most disadvantaged or some of those who have the most challenges to overcome, whether that's single parents, immigrants, the disabled, aboriginal women, or those who would fall into that caregiver category, because of pension and time away from work issues. I would ask anybody who would like to answer whether there are other areas that you think would be of high importance that we should be looking at beyond those things.

Status of Women committee  It's one we've lobbied for. We've done a whole bunch of publications--aboriginal people, immigrants, and groups of that nature. I don't really believe we've done a whole lot of significant work in that area, and it's probably something that should be done.

Status of Women committee  People who are poor when they are young will be poor when they are older for the simple reason that there are no real measures in place to reduce poverty. We are told that women are among the poorest, in particular immigrant women, disabled women and aboriginal women. Nothing is really being done to deal systematically with that poverty. There are just band-aid solutions. That is what was done when these women were young and it is what people are continuing to do now.

Status of Women committee  Those are the women who are the majority in my riding. Also in my riding I see a lot of immigrant women who have come to our shores. They probably face different challenges. Would you have any suggestions for this committee to look into concerning the economic security of these senior women?

Business of Supply  The office will support faster integration and increase the participation of qualified international trained workers. The government has also invested $307 million in new immigrant settlement funding.

Status of Women committee  We also need to review such income support programs as EI, public pensions, social assistance, and legal aid, and to make sure that such reviews include a thorough gender analysis if we want to make any progress in improving women's economic security, and of course it goes without saying that we need to pay special attention to those groups of women who face particular disadvantages, such as lone parents, aboriginal women, immigrant women, and racialized women.

Business of Supply  What it found is that between 1997 and 2003 Canada's economy was the fastest growing among G-8 countries, but the problem is that there has been a decline in the quality of life for middle income people. Poverty is rising among children and new immigrants, and it is very difficult for the middle income earners to afford post-secondary education for their kids. Federal spending stands at 11% of the economy, down from 16% in 1993, well below the national historic average.

National Flag Day  Around the world the maple leaf is a symbol of justice and hope because Canada is a new nation, an immigrant nation, where peoples of all national origins have united in a peaceful and tolerant society. For our soldiers killed in action, the ultimate symbol of respect is to half-mast our national flag.

Business of Supply  I would ask if the member might be more accurate on the record, a little more charitable actually in his remarks, and acknowledge the fact that this party does in fact have the support of a lot of immigrant people and ethnic communities across our country instead of putting the misinformation as he did in the manner before? I would appreciate that correction, please.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Karygiannis indicate whether or not we met with any of these people at the briefings we had at the Holiday Inn, before our visit to Kingston to the holding centre the first time, or at any of our meetings at the Kingston immigration holding centre? Does he have in mind different individuals from the people we've already spoken to?

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Motion number one is that the committee call government officials to provide evidence on the detainees in Kingston and what the Department of Citizenship and Immigration and the Canada Border Services Agency have on them, and that the meeting be held in camera.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  The next motion is that the three individuals responsible for decisions on running the facility from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, the Canada Border Services Agency, and the Correctional Services be brought before the committee.

International Trade committee  The fact of the matter is that economists would take that apart; we'd like to see whose real wages are falling. I'm worried, for example, about immigrants, who have not made progress in Canada in 25 years; if you start to segment the decline in real wages, I'm obviously concerned about that. I'm concerned about aboriginal communities.

Business of Supply  As well, the minister announced $450 million for improving water supply and housing on reserve, education outcomes and socio-economic conditions for aboriginal women, children and families, real money in the hands of organizations that are on the ground working to make a difference. In terms of human trafficking, the former minister of citizenship and immigration developed a program to offer victims temporary visas. Human trafficking is on the rise and the majority of those trafficked are women. They are brought to this country and are forced into a life of prostitution.