Status of Women committee  I would like to thank you for inviting me here today. I think when you're contemplating this issue, you should take away the labels “feminists” and “women”. We are not at a place where we should be. If you look at the history of this country, when all your ancestors came here, you called us bloody savages.

Status of Women committee  Yes.

Status of Women committee  I think what Ms. Landolt talked about, not being funded by the Status of Women, is a reality for all women's groups. You may not get it all the time; you may not even hear from them. We've had the same problems over the years with different departments. But the solution isn't to cut the funding, especially for the most impoverished women.

Status of Women committee  Taking away the words “equality” and “advocacy” is.... We haven't reached equality, and I don't see it within my lifetime or even in my children's lifetime. The aboriginal population in this country is at or below the poverty line. I don't have to tell you that. You've seen the number of communities that would rival third world populations.

Status of Women committee  We have applied. We have done some work on violence against women. The incidence of violence in our community is very high. We have in the past, but this year we haven't applied. The funding in the past was limited. With the number of women in this country looking for dollars to address their issues, the funding is very small, so when you cut it even further and put in more stringent criteria, we won't have the same opportunity.

Status of Women committee  We haven't, not under the new ones, no.

Status of Women committee  The Sisters in Spirit program is for Indian women. We're Métis women.

Status of Women committee  Also, just as an aside, I live in Alberta, even though the national organization has the office here. In Edmonton, the Status of Women had a person on two or three or four hours a week, and they didn't even have an office. They were sharing with someone else. It was hard at that time to get the programs off the ground.

Status of Women committee  I hope you all read my whole text when you get it. Thank you.

Status of Women committee  Okay. Based on my involvement with Métis women in Canada, I believe there is considerable confusion and anxiety on the part of Métis women about the lack of uniformity in the application of law to Métis, Inuit, and first nations women. At the same time, the continued prevalence of attitudes of domination and violence against Métis women makes it difficult for Métis women to turn to an organization that itself has been marginalized.

Status of Women committee  Madam Chair, I have speaking notes and a profile for the speaking notes. I'm sorry for not getting them to you sooner.

Status of Women committee  Good afternoon. Five minutes is not all that great a time, so I'll have to just edit as I go. My name is Sheila Genaille. I'm president of the Métis National Council of Women, which is a national organization that advances equality and justice for Métis women and their families across Canada.