FEWO Committee Report

Conservative Party of Canada Dissenting Opinion

Joy Smith, Kildonan – St Paul

The Conservative Party cannot support the Report on the Impact of the Recent Funding and Program Changes at Status of Women Canada and its recommendations as it currently stands for several reasons to be outlined in its dissenting opinion.

The Conservative Party believes that the report, including the very wording of the title is disingenuous and misleading as it implies the report contains the actual impact of the changes made to Status of Women Canada.  In fact, a number of the changes made at Status of Women Canada came into effect April 1st 2007, following the testimony of the witnesses therefore some of the testimony and the ensuing Committee recommendations are based on speculation.

1. The recommendation for Status of Women Canada to reverse the decision to close 12 regional offices of Status of Women Canada does not take into account a number of aspects.

·        By enhancing the online Status of Women Canada Web site, Status of Women Canada streamlined the application process and the Women’s Program is now accessible to a wider pool of applicants.

·        With the savings of $5 million in administrative costs, Status of Women Canada is now able to provide an additional $5 million in funding to the Women’s Program.

2. The recommendation that Status of Women Canada maintain its Policy Research Fund to fund independent policy research fails to acknowledge that Status of Women Canada and in fact, many federal departments and agencies, continue to conduct and fund policy research and integrate the research findings into the policy development process.  Research will be continued at Status of Women Canada but in a focused manner to ensure priority areas are addressed in an approach that maximizes public dollars and results for Canadian women.

3. The recommendation of the reinstatement of equality in the mandate of the Women’s Program fails to recognise that the terms and conditions had not been changed since 1973.  Since then, women have gained equality rights under Canadian law.  Therefore the renewed mandate, which is, “to facilitate women’s participation in Canadian society by addressing their economic, social and cultural situation through Canadian organizations” uses focused language aimed at directly helping women in their communities.  To be eligible for funding, organizations’ mandate and objectives must reflect Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  This provision can be found under the General Eligibility Requirements section of the Women’s Program funding guidelines which states: “To be eligible for Women’s Program funding an organization’s mandate and objectives must reflect:  Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which stipulates, “(1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability” and “(2) Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups, including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability”; and it functions democratically and demonstrates responsible governance.”

4. The recommendation to remove limitations on funding for research and advocacy activities is one that the Conservative Party of Canada cannot support as it agrees with an overwhelming number of Canadian women who have asked the government to take concrete steps to address areas of concern for Canadians.  The Conservative Party of Canada believes the most responsible and effective use of taxpayers’ dollars is through funding which is aimed at projects that will directly help women in their communities.  In Canada’s free and democratic society, all Canadians, women and men, are free to advocate to all levels of government and there is nothing to prevent organizations from raising money to advocate or conduct research.

5. The recommendation that funding be available only to non profit organizations overlooks the value of partnering with organizations that are in a position to help shoulder some of the financial burden themselves. The Conservative Party of Canada believes that it should encourage all sectors in society – for-profit organizations and not-for-profit organizations, to ensure the full participation of women in the economic, cultural and social life of Canada.  This change will open the door to a whole myriad of new possible funding opportunities that are vital to assisting women on achieving full participation in Canadian society.