Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, in fact, I have not had any conversations about this issue in my riding in terms of the Minister of Justice. Just as the member has pointed out, the conversations I am having are twofold. The first is about the incredible need that exists in our communities for good legislation that addresses many of the needs that Canadians are facing in regard to housing, employment, the widening gap between people who have wealth and those who do not, and the difficulty people have in accessing services.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, actually we have an Ethics Commissioner, and the Minister of Justice followed all of the requirements of a minister in consulting with the Ethics Commissioner about the appropriateness of this particular fundraiser. Like the Canadians who have placed their trust in us, I have confidence in the Ethics Commissioner's ruling, and I believe that the Ethics Commissioner has details that perhaps the people quoted by the member do not.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to speak to the motion. When the government was elected, we committed to work tirelessly to honour the trust Canadians have given us. We committed to bring new leadership and a new tone to government, listening to the needs of Canadians and working collaboratively to tackle the real challenges we face as a country.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, ensuring women and their children are free from violence is a priority for this government, and that is why I am working with my colleagues and experts across the country to develop a federal gender-based violence strategy. Shelters are also key to supporting this goal, which is why we announced in our budget that we will create over 3,000 shelter spaces over the next two years ensuring that more women have a safe place to turn in violent situations.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for her passion on this issue. I am extremely proud to lead the development of a federal gender-based violence strategy. I am working closely with my provincial and territorial colleagues right now, consulting with NGOs who have spent a great amount of time working on and exploring this issue, and we should have something to talk about near June.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to advancing gender equality in all areas of Canadian life. The theme of International Women's Day this year is “Women's Empowerment Leads to Equality”. I recently launched a call for proposals for projects that would increase women's participation by supporting the work of indigenous women in their communities and amplifying the voices of women working to enhance their civic and political participation.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, having a gender wage gap in Canada in 2016 is unacceptable. As the first commitment toward pay equity, our Prime Minister appointed a gender-balanced cabinet. We are firmly committed to a public service that reflects the diversity in society, which includes gender parity, and we have supported the appointment of a special committee on pay equity.

Human Trafficking  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her concern and work on the issue of violence against women and girls. Preventing and addressing violence against women and girls is a priority for this government. We are working with a range of key stakeholders to address this issue, including the launch of a national public inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, developing a federal gender-violence strategy, and enhancing Canada's network of shelters and transition homes.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, our government believes that pay equity is a fundamental human right and cannot be bargained away. We believe every working Canadian woman should be compensated in an equitable manner. Our Prime Minister has put gender equality at the forefront of his leadership, and our federal government has an obligation to lead by example.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, we need to be looking at the barriers women face in entering politics before we set targets. When we set targets and do not consider the barriers that women face, then we are destined to fail in reaching those targets. Therefore, the first step I would consider is really doing a fulsome analysis of what prevents women from fully taking their place in the House of Commons and other political arenas.

Business of Supply  Aside from doing a complete program review, Mr. Speaker, which of course I have not conducted, I would say that when we have a good idea that is working, it is not the intent of this government to end that good idea, but rather to build on good ideas and fill the gaps that we see.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, one of the strengths of this government's platform is that there is not one thing that will cure the problems facing Canadians today, but a whole-of-government approach that will help alleviate some of the struggles that Canadians face. Things like affordable housing are incredibly important.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, there are two parts in the answer to that excellent question. I am working closely with all my cabinet colleagues to ensure that we use a gender based analysis lens to the decisions we make. That would include the decisions we make around spending on infrastructure.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the intent of the government is to support the motion in its entirety. The issue of pay equity is so significant and so far reaching that it deserves a committee of its own. On women's leadership opportunities, we can certainly look at the composition of committees and ensure that women have opportunities to lead throughout government.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to participate in this debate today on the motion put forward by the member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith addressing pay equity. This side of the House supports the principle of pay equity. I am proud to be part of a government that previously recognized the importance of pay equity and introduced amendments in 1977 to the Canadian Human Rights Act to enshrine this important principle.