Question Period Note: Gender Equality in Politics

What is the Government of Canada doing to support gender equality in politics?

• The Government of Canada is committed to building an inclusive government. This is being accomplished, in part, by having a gender-balanced Cabinet once again.

• The Government also introduced measures to improve work-life balance for members of Parliament and the House of Commons, as well as to ensure that federal workplaces are harassment- and violence-free.

• The Department for Women and Gender Equality has provided over $27M in funding to support projects that strengthen the participation of women in leadership and politics.

Barriers that prevent gender equality in politics include a lack of support for families, fear 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 that includes physical, psychological, economic and symbolic actions or threats resulting in harm or suffering.

Violence against women in politics is intersectional, as racialized individuals, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two spirit (LGBTQ2) communities, the economically disadvantaged, religious minorities, disabled persons, and younger women tend to experience violence in politics disproportionately based on their social identities and diverse characteristics.

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.

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 childcare, 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.

The Department for Women and Gender Equality, through its Women's Program, supports several projects that strengthen the participation of women in politics, including:

o Support for Women's Empowerment: Over 30 projects to promote and enhance women’s participation in civic and political life by addressing barriers, as well as to strengthen the voices of Indigenous women in their communities. Some of the projects focus on women’s empowerment in the context of ending violence against women and girls and improving women's and girls' economic security and prosperity.
o Funding to Advance Gender Equality: Over 50 projects that engage some 150 women in leadership positions from across the country to advance gender equality locally and as part of a pan-Canadian network. Some of the projects focus on women’s empowerment in the context of ending violence against women and girls and improving women's and girls' economic security and prosperity.
o Equal Voice: Funding was announced in October 2018 for a project to empower the next generation of women leaders, and increase women’s participation in politics with a view to creating more gender-balanced governments.

The Department also benefits from an Indigenous Women's Circle, which brings together Indigenous women to offer their guidance and expertise in order to address the systemic inequalities experienced by Indigenous women, including their experiences in relation to leadership roles.

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