Question Period Note: Gender Equality in Politics

Why has gender parity and diversity of elected officials in all levels of government not yet been achieved?

• The Government of Canada is committed to building a diverse and inclusive government.

• As of the September 2021 federal election, there is a record number of women and 2SLGBTQI+ Members of Parliament.
o 103 women were elected to the 338-member House of Commons.
 This represents a gain of three seats from the record high of 100 women during the previous parliamentary session.
o 8 of the elected Members of Parliament identify as 2SLGBTQI+– up four seats from 2019.
 This historic achievement includes the first openly Two-Spirit Member of Parliament.

• The Government has remained committed to a gender-balanced Cabinet since 2015, with women currently holding prominent Ministerial positions. The Government is also committed to doing its part to ensure all people in public life, like all people in Canada, are treated with respect.

• Since 2015, the Department for Women and Gender Equality has provided over $13.9M in funding to support 30 projects that enhance women’s participation in politics.

Investment

• Since November 2015, through Supporting Women’s Empowerment, WAGE’s Women’s Program has invested over $13.9M in 30 projects to promote and enhance women’s participation in politics, including by addressing barriers.

Results

• The 30 projects WAGE funded have reached an estimated 14,000 people and have resulted in the development of 176 resources including 24 guides, 14 strategic plans and 8 toolkits

Project examples

• In 2021, WAGE funded the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) for a total amount of $1,500,000 for a 36-month project that aims to increase women’s political participation and retention in municipal government and support of a more diverse and inclusive enabling environment by working in partnership with FCM’s membership, provincial and territorial associations, and key stakeholders to address systemic barriers, strengthen capacity, and mobilize knowledge across municipalities in Canada.

• The Groupe femmes, politique et démocratie (GRFP) lead a 43-month project with 5 other organizations , which helped to create conditions that promote women’s active participation in political life. Stakeholders from regional county municipalities were invited to participate in consultations to develop action plans and tools for gender equality. Knowledge and tools were shared throughout Quebec to encourage the emergence of a political culture that values women’s active participation. This project ended up creating 13 equality policies in diverse regional county municipalities.

• The Women Transforming Cities International Society received $493,652 in funding for a 30-month project to increase representation of diverse women’s voices in municipal political activities.

BACKGROUND:

• Barriers that prevent gender equality in politics include, but are not limited to, a lack of support for families, fear and the real threat of negative attacks based on gender norms, difficulty obtaining private donations, and biased perceptions about appropriate career paths.

• Research indicates that women who participate in politics experience a spectrum of gender-based violence, in both physical and online environments, that includes physical, psychological, economic and symbolic actions or threats resulting in harm or suffering. Violence against women in politics is intersectional: racialized individuals, 2SLGBTQI+ persons, the economically disadvantaged, persons with disabilities, and younger women tend to experience disproportionate levels of violence in politics. The Government of Canada is committed to continuing to fight harmful content online.

• To reduce barriers to participation in Parliament, progress has been made to improve work-life balance in the House of Commons, including, but not limited to, scheduling votes after Question Period instead of in the evenings. The Treasury Board Minister’s 2021 mandate letter includes a commitment to work with the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons to develop a plan to both make Parliament a more inclusive place for families and to respond with greater agility in the event of a future national health crisis.

• To reduce barriers to participation in the electoral process, Bill C-76 amended the Canada Elections Act, allowing candidates to use their own funds, in addition to campaign funds, to pay for disability-related child care, or other relevant home or healthcare expenses; and to increase the reimbursement rate to 90% for such expenses and exempt them from campaign spending limits.

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