Finance committee  We chose just a few to mention here, but yes, the social economy program is obviously of concern to us and also to Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia has the kind of culture and history that are more amenable to that kind of approach to economic development. There were, I know, some very interesting and promising projects developing in Nova Scotia that will likely be affected by these cuts.

Finance committee  The way the questions were framed is not conducive to hearing groups.

Finance committee  What would that be?

Finance committee  Well, I wish aboriginal women were here to speak for themselves. And I would like to put on record, before I answer directly the question, that frankly, when I looked at the website for these hearings, I thought, I'm surprised that there's anybody here speaking on behalf of low-income people.

Finance committee  Getting to the aboriginal women, I think not only the issue of property rights but the issue around marriage and second-generation or third-generation offspring of aboriginal women not having title is obviously a real concern for aboriginal women. It definitely needs to be addressed, along with a lot of other issues that affect aboriginal women, in terms of access to programs and services in their communities.

Finance committee  Well, why don't you invite the aboriginal women's association—

Finance committee  —to speak to you directly--

Finance committee  It's not your promotional material, it's that the questions you're asking are very much in terms of economic policy and so on and so forth. I think there needs to be much more focus on social policy, including the issues you just mentioned.

Finance committee  Yes. We talk about this in our brief. On the surface of it, the recent cuts look like they were across the board, all over the place. But when you actually drill down and look at where the cuts are in terms of the status of women and the court challenges programs, of course those affect the equality of women and their ability to participate in civic, political, and economic life.

Finance committee  How do I counter that? Well, I think that's ideological. I mean, the fact is that the women's groups listed on our brief serve women on a daily basis in this province. Transition House Association of Nova Scotia—one of my colleagues is here today—and the women's centres in Nova Scotia mainly deal with issues affecting women at the very grassroots level in rural communities in this province.

Finance committee  Thank you very much. First of all, I'd like to draw your attention to a letter I would like to have written into the record, from the Sisters of St. Martha in Antigonish, who also support our brief. As you'll see, the brief has been presented by a number of women's organizations in Nova Scotia.