Minister Morneau Hosts Pre-Budget Roundtable on Gender Equality in Toronto

January 18, 2018 – Toronto, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

When you have an economy that works for the middle class, you have a country where everyone can succeed. When women and men and gender-diverse groups are given equal opportunities to participate fully in the economy, they can drive economic growth and improve the quality of life for themselves, their families and their communities. As the Government prepares the next step in its plan to strengthen the middle class with Budget 2018, it will be working to ensure women and men and gender-diverse groups have all the tools they need to seize the opportunities of a more innovative economy.

The investments the Government of Canada has made in people, communities and the economy are working. Canada has created almost 700,000 jobs since November 2015, and the unemployment rate is at its lowest level in over 40 years. Since the beginning of 2016, Canada has had the fastest-growing economy in the G7.

Today, Finance Minister Bill Morneau joined a roundtable and Facebook Live event hosted by City of Toronto Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam at The 519, Canada's largest LGBTQ2 community centre. During the meeting, participants discussed how the Government can build on its first ever Gender Statement in Budget 2017 and take further action to ensure that women, men and Canadians from gender-diverse groups can have an equal opportunity to thrive and succeed in Canada's economy.

This roundtable discussion marked Minister Morneau's final public consultation for Budget 2018. During these pre-budget consultations, Canadians are invited to provide their ideas and priorities on how the Government can make sure they are ready for the changes and opportunities that lie ahead, and on what their family, community and country need to face the future with confidence.

Canadians can submit their ideas to the Government as part of pre-budget consultations until January 26 at 11:59 p.m., through the website: www.budget.gc.ca/pbc18.

As Canada's economy continues to grow, it is important to ensure that the middle class and those working hard to join it have an opportunity to contribute to and benefit from that growth. That means continuing to make smart investments in people and communities to ensure continued progress for the middle class, and investing in lifelong learning to give Canadians the tools they need to find good, well-paying jobs in the economy of tomorrow. It also means ensuring that government policy and budget decisions consider impacts on different groups of women and men.