Natural Resources committee  The example I'd be interested in sharing is actually from northern B.C., not northern Alberta. It's more about the conditions for workers in the industry and how to create industry camps that are more welcoming and safe for both men and women. If we are serious in talking about increased women's employment in these sectors, more has to be done both by government and by the private sector to deal with some of the safety issues that women face when they work in industrial camps and are still in the minority, looking at what is the culture, what are the safety protocols, how can we make them the most accepting workplaces possible and what occupations are open to women.

Natural Resources committee  The ombudsperson, as announced by the government, was to have the power to investigate, to ask for testimony and documents, when allegations are brought before them, from Canadian companies operating internationally, to determine whether they are living up to the human rights and environmental standards that Canadians would expect our companies to adhere to when they operate abroad.

Natural Resources committee  I'd say the women who were at this gathering that we sponsored felt that the systems were not open to hearing from all of their views.

Natural Resources committee  Yes.

Natural Resources committee  In Canada, we haven't statistically studied who is participating and who isn't. That's not our research.

Natural Resources committee  Yes, as I was alluding to earlier, there are moves under way to bring more systematic approaches to doing federal impact assessments. At the moment, it's done on occasion, depending on the project, but Bill C-69 would have it as a factor in impact assessments. Looking at the gender-differentiated economic, social and health impacts would be part of any federal study of a project.

Natural Resources committee  The examples I was giving in other countries were more—

Natural Resources committee  Often it was a resourcing question. It was about there not being enough time or not enough resources to fully understand, appreciate and analyze the project. In other cases, they mentioned there was a difference in world views. They felt that their knowledge and understanding was not able to fit into the meetings and the consultations to which they were being invited.

Natural Resources committee  Different peoples have different world views, understandings and values, and some of those world views and understandings weren't necessarily being accommodated. There were certain assumptions built into certain processes where, hearing from other cultures, they did not feel that they were being welcomed into the room as equals.

Natural Resources committee  I'm not aware of any specific examples on which Oxfam has done research. I know that's a live debate within Canada around indigenous ownership of natural resource development projects. Certainly, in some of the exchanges I mentioned between indigenous women's organizations that we help to support and convene, that is part of the debate.

Natural Resources committee  Good afternoon, committee members. Thank you for inviting Oxfam Canada to be part of this study today. I'd like to join my fellow witness in acknowledging the Algonquin territory on which we're meeting. My name is Ian Thomson. I'm a policy specialist with Oxfam Canada focused on the extractive industries.