Question Period Note: Gender Equality in Leadership and Decision-Making Positions

Advancing gender equality in leadership and decision-making positions

• Promoting equality at all levels of leadership is essential to a fair and democratic society. The Government of Canada continues to advance gender equality and diversity in all spheres of leadership and decision-making.
• The Government has remained committed to a gender-balanced Cabinet since 2015, with women currently holding prominent Ministerial positions, including Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, National Defence, and Foreign Affairs.

• Since 2015, WAGE has provided over $114.3M in funding to support 227 projects that strengthen women’s participation in leadership and decision-making roles.

• WAGE’s work complements the Government of Canada’s broader actions, which include:
o Introducing amendments to the Public Service Employment Act to affirm the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce free of biases and barriers in hiring;
o Launching the 50-30 Challenge to promote gender equality and diversity within Canadian organizations; and,
o Requiring federally incorporated organizations to disclose information on the diversity of their board of directors and senior management to shareholders.

Investment

• Since 2015, WAGE’s Women’s Program has invested over $114.3M in more than 227 projects to advance women’s representation in leadership and decision-making roles, including:
o The $100M Feminist Response and Recovery Fund (FRRF) supports 246 projects that will increase women and girls’ participation in Canada’s economic, social, democratic and political life; 61 of these projects will tackle systemic barriers diverse women face to participating in leadership and decision-making roles.

• Support for Indigenous Women’s Leadership:
o WAGE is providing funding projects for the Assembly of First Nations, Pauktuutit and Women of the Métis Nation to empower and increase Indigenous women’s leadership and democratic participation in their communities.

Results

• In 2020-21, projects funded under this priority area developed and disseminated 1,235 different resources to improve access to supports for women leaders. As a result of these projects, 1,442,379 women gained access to services and supports that resulted in better opportunities for leadership positions in various spheres.

• In addition, 56% of projects in this category resulted in changes to policies and institutions. They developed and disseminated 1,148 resources, undertook advocacy, and leveraged partnerships and collaborations, in order to bring about changes to institutional processes and cultures.

Project examples

• In 2021, WAGE funded Fora: Network for Change for a total amount of $496,847 for a 29-month project supporting COVID-19 recovery and prioritizes girls’ and women’s participation in the labour force by placing young women with lived experiences of the pandemic in decision-making spaces. Task forces in the private sector, philanthropic, and public sectors will be included, and, to track participation across sectors, Fora will produce a semi-annual tracker of recovery committees and task forces ("decision-making bodies"), and report on the number of younger women included on these bodies across Canada.

• In 2021, WAGE funded the National Association of Friendship Centres for a total amount of $675,300 to address discriminatory legislation, policies, and practices that prevent women and girls from fully participating in the social, political and economic spheres, by amplifying the voices of urban Indigenous women in existing legislation and policy using research, policy development, and advocacy work. Also, systemic racism will be addressed through the participation of current FCM leaders to incorporate an Indigenous GBA Plus lens to policymaking on a federal level. The project will end in 2024.

BACKGROUND:

• Despite progress, women, including diverse women, and gender-diverse people continue to face barriers to obtaining leadership and decision-making roles in Canadian society, including politics.

• The Government of Canada is committed to help advance gender equality in leadership and decision-making spaces.
o Amongst businesses and corporations, this advancement includes:
 Passing Bill C-25, which requires federally incorporated companies to disclose diversity information to shareholders. Budget 2021 committed to public consultations on measures that would apply these requirements to federally-regulated financial institutions and Crown Corporations.
 Promoting the 50-30 Challenge, which encourages organizations to increase the representation of diverse groups within the workplace. Close to 1400 organizations are participating under the leadership of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
 Investments to modernize the Employment Equity Act.

o In February 2016, the Government committed to an open, transparent and merit-based process for selecting Governor-in-Council (GiC) appointments. With this commitment, as of December 31, 2021 according to the Privy Council Office, 52.5% of appointees identify as women.
 For the first time, women have been appointed to key positions, including the first woman President of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

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