Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oakville North—Burlington for the question, and for her leadership on gender equality. I was pleased to join the Minister of Status of Women this morning as she announced our government's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all women and girls can live free from violence. This is why we are investing $100.9 million in a strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. The strategy we released today is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems; and it will build a solid foundation for action and fill important gaps in support for survivors of gender-based violence.

House debate  Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate the hon. minister for his excellent speech. I remember when the minister introduced the Canada child benefit in 2016. I think we agreed with him, on this side of the House, that it was the most significant social program introduced in a generation.

GBA+ Awareness Week  Mr. Speaker, this week the government is marking Gender-based Analysis Plus Awareness Week. This year's theme is “Inclusion. Innovation. For the next 150.” As Canada works to position itself as world leader in innovation, it needs to harness the talents of all Canadians. Using GBA+ is one way to ensure inclusive growth and an economy that works for everyone.

Status of Women  Madam Speaker, I welcome this opportunity to participate in this adjournment debate with the hon. member, and to discuss the federal government's response to gender-based violence. When it comes to addressing gender-based violence, the Government of Canada is taking a multi-faceted approach, and will invest $101 million in a gender-based violence strategy over the next five years.

Status of Women  Madam Speaker, as I said before, one of the priority actions of the government is to develop a national strategy to address gender-based violence. We will be starting by getting our own federal house in order. We expect this to be released very soon. To meet this commitment, we have done our homework by listening to Canadians.

Gender Equality Week Act  Mr. Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to participate in this debate on Bill C-309, a bill to establish a gender equality week in Canada each year. I want to congratulate the hon. member for Mississauga—Lakeshore for his leadership in advancing gender equality in this country.

Gender Equality Week Act  Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the member for Mississauga—Lakeshore for his speech and his leadership on this issue. I wonder if he would offer us a few reflections on the first gender statement in the budget we just passed and how this is consistent with the spirit of this private member's bill.

Manitoba Day  Mr. Speaker, today is Manitoba Day. It is an opportunity to reflect on the richness and diversity that make our prairie province so great. Manitoba's geography includes plains, deserts, Arctic tundra, boreal forest, a sea coast, and endless lakes and rivers. Lake Winnipeg is a provincial treasure and Canada's sixth great lake.

Status of Women  Madam Speaker, I will respectfully disagree with the hon. member and just say again that in addition to the federal government's significant investments in shelters, budget 2017 includes a number of very important actions to address and prevent gender-based violence. This includes over $100 million in investment over five years, starting in 2017-18.

Status of Women  Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith for joining us in the fight against gender-based violence and for her commitment to this issue. I welcome the opportunity to participate in this adjournment debate and to discuss the federal government's approach to addressing gender-based violence.

Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. friend from Saanich—Gulf Islands for her advocacy on climate change. I know that as part of the Canadian delegation, she was an important part of the discussion in bringing the Paris climate agreement about. I agree with her that the tax credit for transit ridership was ineffective.

Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, reflecting on the last 10 years, funding to Status of Women Canada was cut rather dramatically by the previous government, and we have restored funding to that ministry. We have opened regional offices. Winnipeg is now a centre for Status of Women Canada, admittedly on a part-time basis.

Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to participate in this debate on budget 2017. Canadians have now had the opportunity to review much of what is in the budget, and I believe there is a growing recognition that it will do a great deal to support gender equality and the economic advancement of women in this country.

Charter of Rights and Freedoms  Mr. Speaker, yesterday we were proud to welcome Malala Yousafzai to Parliament Hill. We honour her courage as an activist for education and a champion of girls' rights. Canadians believe that the rights of all women and girls are human rights. This year marks the 35th anniversary of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in which these fundamental rights are enshrined.