Appearance by the Minister before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts – November 7, 2023
Official title: Appearance by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP)
Date: November 7, 2023
Study: Gender-based analysis (GBA) plus
The Deputy Minister was also present and received the binder for this parliamentary committee appearance.
Opening remarks
Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that I’m speaking with you from the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Aninashinaabe people.
Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the Committee for your invitation to discuss our collaborative work we have underway in response to the Auditor General’s 2022 report on the implementation of Gender-Based Analysis Plus.
Joining me today from Women and Gender Equality Canada is my colleague Leila Boussaid, Director General, Research, Data and Intersectionality Branch.
I would like to thank the Auditor General and her Office for their work on GBA Plus. Canada is one of few countries that has benefited from regular audits on its approach to gender equality mainstreaming.
Created as a full department in 2018, WAGE’s role in GBA Plus is twofold: we act as a convenor, a knowledge broker and a capacity builder as it relates to women’s equality and on equality for gender-diverse people; to the application of GBA Plus, and its evolution to intersectional approaches that take into account the different experiences and interactions that diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people have with systems, structures and institutions.
As our colleagues from the Auditor General have noted, interest and capacity for GBA Plus has grown steadily with time. Canada is becoming more and more diverse, as we know, which means we must continue to evolve our approaches to ensure we remain relevant to the people we serve. Statistics Canada estimates that approximately 25% of Canadians are racialized, and that in 18 years from now (in 2041), it will be around 40%. That’s about 2 in 5 Canadians. Approximately one in five people in Canada aged 15 years and over, 24% of women and 20% of men, report having a disability, based on the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability.
Based on our responsibility to evolve to meet the needs of Canada and Canadians, and feedback received from the OAG Audits, as well as the March 2022 Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology report on the role of GBA Plus in the policy process, WAGE has been implementing recommendations to ensure the impacts of an enhanced GBA Plus analysis continues.
WAGE has taken action to promote a greater understanding of intersectionality, by clarifying methodology, updating training, and developing a new suite of tools for federal public servants. In addition, WAGE has leveraged GBA Plus Awareness Weeks to promote greater understanding of intersectionality. The 2023 iteration of Awareness Week was held under the theme, “Building a More Inclusive Future for All.” The theme was selected to reinforce GBA Plus’s intersectional design and objectives of advancing equality and inclusion for everyone. As part of these events, two panels on intersectional approaches were held with Deputy Ministers. Together these two events drew over 2000 participants.
We continue to support opportunities for collaboration and peer-to-peer learning, enabling GBA Plus practitioners to share best practices, and become leaders within their communities of practice and continue to build competency across the federal government, including working with others inside and outside government on ensuring we are building awareness of culturally relevant analysis, using tools that communities with lived experience have developed.
We’ve also built more robust governance structures, including key colleagues at the Deputy Minister level whose organizational mandates include cross-government leadership in areas such as anti-racism, disability inclusion, and relations with Indigenous peoples, to facilitate strategic coordination across departments and agencies.
WAGE in the process of revising the cross-government GBA Plus implementation Survey to address methodological limitations – including some raised by the Office of the Auditor General, the Senate Committee and other experts – to improve our monitoring and public reporting on the application and impacts of GBA Plus.
Canada is learning from other countries as they also evolve their approaches, and many other countries who are at earlier stages of thinking on equity, diversity and inclusion are also learning from Canada.
We’re moving in the right direction, and we are committed to continuing this work because it is about better serving Canadians today, and tomorrow.
Thank you.
Status of the Auditor General’s Recommendations since May 2022
Issue/question
What have been WAGE’s actions to address the Auditor General’s recommendations since the 2022 spring report on GBA Plus implementation.
Suggested response
To respond to the Auditor General’s recommendations, since May 2022, WAGE:
- Established new governance structures within the federal government which included the creation of a targeted DM-level Reference Group on enhanced GBA Plus; an annual update to deputy heads of federal departments and agencies, and an ADM and DG Working Group -- all which are engaged and updated regularly on the progress and implementation of an enhanced GBA Plus;
- Completed initial phase of the engagement to enhance the framing and parameters of the enhanced GBA Plus analytical tool -- with particular attention to the simultaneous intersectional analysis of race, indigeneity, rurality, disability, and sexual identity, among other characteristics in collaboration with key federal partners; and
- Revised the GBA Plus Implementation Survey to address methodological limitations identified by the OAG, to ensure regular and comprehensive monitoring and public reporting on the status of GBA Plus implementation across federal departments.
WAGE commits to continue working with:
- CSPS to finalize the key competency framework and tailor training to specific functional communities;
- Statistics Canada on data literacy, surveys (e.g., Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces, Femicide Information System) and research projects such as Intersectional Gender Wage Gap in Canada; and Functional health difficulties among lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Canada.
- SSRHC on Partnership Grants aimed at supporting academic researchers in collaboration with other research-focused and community-based organizations.
WAGE will continue to:
- Collaborate with central agencies and the Canada School of Public Service to further develop new tools and resources to support GBA Plus implementation;
- disseminate research on gender equality and intersectionality; and
- share information and best practices on GBA Plus implementation -- including through international fora e.g., Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Background
The 2022 Auditor General Report on GBA Plus implementation is a follow-up to selected recommendations from the 2015 GBA Plus Auditor General Report, specifically focussing on the Department of Women and Gender Equality, Treasury Board Secretariat, and Privy Council Office. The 2022 Report also examined the use and availability of data to support GBA Plus.
Since that time, Women and Gender Equality Canada made progress within its mandate and role to address the Auditor General’s findings. For example, in the 2022 Spring Report to Parliament, the Auditor General made recommendations that WAGE responded to:
- Recommendation 3.33: PCO and TBS provide timely and documented feedback to departments and agencies on the application of gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) in their Treasury Board submissions and share this feedback with Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE). Departments and agencies should then make future cycle improvements to strengthen the application of GBA Plus.
In response, WAGE committed to identify persistent gaps in applying GBA Plus based on PCO and TBS feedback to departments and agencies on their Memoranda to Cabinets and Treasury Board submissions and integrate this feedback in developing tools and resources.
- Recommendation 3.45: Women and Gender Equality Canada should ensure its efforts as a leader and centre of expertise to help advance gender-based analysis plus across all of the federal government.
In response, WAGE committed to reinforce its efforts as a leader and centre of expertise by going back to its core roles as a:
- Knowledge Broker: Developing and transmitting knowledge and policy expertise to support early integration of intersectionality throughout government systems, policies, and processes for inclusive policymaking that have impactful results for all Canadians;
- Convener: Bringing together federal, domestic and international stakeholders across sectors, leverage resources, make connections to support a holistic, coordinated approach to intersectionality;
- Capacity Builder: Supporting a network of internal and external partners seeking to tackle the range of barriers and negative impacts experienced by equity-deserving stakeholders when accessing government policies, programs and initiatives.
- Recommendation 3.57: The Privy Council Office, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Department of Women and Gender Equality should, within their respective mandates, work with other departments and agencies to ensure that disaggregated data is sought, compiled and used in the design, delivery, and measurement of all policies, programs, and initiatives.
In response, WAGE is working with Statistics Canada to implement the Disaggregated Data Action Plan (DDAP), a whole-of-government approach, to reveal challenges faced by the most vulnerable populations in the country and helping create a more equitable Canada. To better understand the inequalities of diverse population groups, the DDAP adopts a GBA Plus lens to critically analyze all intersecting identity factors.
WAGE’s Step-by-Step GBA Plus Guidance emphasizes the importance of using disaggregated data in all phases of the policy development process - from identifying the issue, to analyzing the simultaneous needs, differences and inequalities among groups, to developing options, and to implementation, monitoring and evaluation of an initiative.
- Recommendation 3.66: WAGE, with the support of PCO and TBS, regularly and comprehensively monitor and publicly report on the status of GBA Plus implementation across the federal government, including plans to advance GBA Plus implementation.
In response, WAGE specifically meets annually with TBS and PCO to discuss the monitoring and reporting of GBA Plus implementation; future plans; and to provide input into WAGE’s departmental GBA Plus implementation survey.
WAGE in consultation with TBS, PCO and other federal departments continuously revise, and update as required the survey questionnaire to enhance it’s methodology. The new and latest survey will be launched in November 2023. The results will be published on the WAGE website by June 2024.
The results of all previous GBA Plus implementation surveys are currently available on WAGE website to monitor impact, growth and improvement.
This recommendation also further aligns with the recent Government Response to the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology’s recommendation on GBA Plus implementation public reporting.
WAGE has been an integral partner in establishing GBA Plus as a key tool for gender budgeting in Canada. For Budget 2023, the scope of these supports has included working with departments and agencies advancing key priorities. This is to ensure that initiatives consider equality, fairness, and inclusion in their design and leverage data to better track the impact of such initiatives over time. These collaborative efforts have been strengthening GBA Plus across all aspects of government policy development and decision-making processes, consistent with the recent OAG recommendations.
- Recommendation 3.88: WAGE in collaboration with other responsible departments and agencies and central agencies, should develop specific and measurable targets for the results frameworks that it leads and to which it contributes and develop and implement a plan and monitor results to improve the availability of data for the intersectional identity factors relevant to all indicators used in related frameworks.
In response, WAGE in collaboration with other departments and agencies and central agencies continue their work to develop specific and measurable targets for the results frameworks and is currently exploring options to make the Gender Results Framework more intersectional.
Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus)
Issue/question
What is the government doing to improve the implementation of GBA Plus?
Suggested response
- The scope and scale of the application of GBA Plus across government has continually grown and the quality of analysis has improved.
- GBA Plus is embedded across government business and is now a mandatory part of the processes for securing new policy and financial authorities.
- There have been improvements to infrastructure to help GBA Plus practitioners.
- Currently, 80% of Government of Canada departments have a GBA Plus Centre of Expertise or Champion.
- New governance structures have also been introduced, including a Deputy Minister-level committee, to facilitate strategic coordination across departments and agencies.
- There have been improvements to monitoring, reporting and transparency including:
- More publicly available information
- A requirement for departmental plans and reports to include information on gender and diversity impacts.
- WAGE has also led the design and delivery of GBA Plus training tools and programs in collaboration with the Canadian School of Public Service.
- WAGE provides expertise directly to federal partners, where it is mandated to do so. This includes:
- Assessing budget proposals, and
- Delivering on legislative obligations under the Impact Assessment Act. WAGE has provided 161 assessments related to approximately 75 designated projects since the legislation came into force in 2019.
Background
Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) is an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative and how, identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted, and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and sociocultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography, language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
As a centre of expertise, WAGE plays the role of convener, knowledge broker, and capacity builder. In that context, WAGE efforts focus on:
- Increasing awareness, and understanding of GBA Plus
- Enhancing capacity and expertise for GBA Plus across federal government
- Fostering collaboration between a broad range of actors to capture new knowledge and share best practices; and
- Act as a hub for GBA Plus knowledge and expertise.
Strengthening GBA Plus
GBA Plus is the result of a sustained commitment over close to 30 years. It has evolved over time and is guided by a process of continuous improvement. Changes have been informed by a wide range of evidence and inputs.
2021 mandate letter commitments directed Minister Ien to lead the evaluation process of GBA Plus with the goal of enhancing the framing and parameters of this analytical tool, with particular attention to intersectional analysis, so that it better reflects the lived experiences of all people of Canada.
- The Ministers of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion; Crown-Indigenous Relations; Rural Economic Development; Tourism and the Associate Minister of Finance; Employment, Workforce Development, Disability and Inclusion; and the President of the Treasury Board have been mandated to support this work and will be critical partners in advancing the plan.
To advance work on this mandate commitment, WAGE has worked with key federal partners and has engaged extensively. This process has confirmed opportunities for improvement, many of which are possible within existing resources. This includes better coordination and consolidation of efforts, which can go a long way in responding to recommendations made by both the Auditor General and those made by the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
This work has also allowed for a more nuanced understanding of some of the barriers to full GBA Plus implementation. For example:
- The persistent issues related to access and use of data disaggregated to reflect intersectional considerations was of particular concern to officials given the unprecedented investments that have been made by the government. Engagement revealed that fully reaping the benefits of these investments requires additional focus on awareness raising as it relates to existing data sources, as well as the use of diverse sources of evidence including that, which is generated through the insights of people with lived experience of inequalities. We also learned that more support is required in the form of training and tools to facilitate the use of evidence, and that increased effort may be required to grow data literacy amongst GBA Plus practitioners as well as intersectional competencies amongst the statistical community.
- Recommendations related to ongoing opportunities to strengthen accountability and transparency were also revealing. Further reflection on addressing these shortcomings with our partners in central agencies have allowed us to map the reporting requirements that are currently in place, as well as identify gaps in information. With this information, WAGE has worked with TBS to revise the content of its GBA Plus Implementation Survey to avoid duplicative reporting requirements and to fill gaps in the information required to gauge impacts. To improve transparency, the findings from each GBA Plus Implementation Survey are now available on WAGE’s website.
Gender budgeting
While the Department of Finance was not one of the audited entities, increasingly Finance is actively contributing to efforts to increase coherence and impact of GBA Plus focusing on Canada’s budget process. The Canadian Gender Budgeting Act, which came into force in December 2018, provides an unprecedented opportunity to enshrine gender and equality, fairness, and inclusion considerations as a permanent feature of the federal government’s budgetary and financial management process.
The Act has three key requirements:
- Reporting on new budget measures: The Minister of Finance must table, before each House of Parliament, on any of the first 30 days on which that House is sitting after the day on which a budget plan is tabled in Parliament, a report on the impacts in terms of gender and diversity of all new budget measures described in the plan, if an assessment of the impacts is not included in the budget plan or any related documents that the Minister has made public.
- Analysis of tax expenditures: The Minister of Finance must annually make available to the public analysis of impacts in terms of gender and diversity of the tax expenditures, such as tax exemptions, deductions or credits that the Minister considers appropriate.
- Review of existing programs and expenditures: In addition to mandatory GBA Plus requirements related to new government initiatives, the Act requires that the President of the Treasury Board make information available to the public on an annual basis on existing expenditure programs as it relates to impacts on gender and diversity.
Since the Act came into force in 2018, improvements have been made with each budget. While the fall 2021 election imposed a short budget cycle for Budget 2022, which limited the support WAGE could provide to that budget, Budget 2023 provided opportunities for WAGE to support the budget process early on and more substantially, including a pre-budget presentation to members of the Interdepartmental Committee on GBA Plus, support for GBA Plus training at Finance Canada, updating the budget GBA Plus template, and a review of almost two-dozen selected GBA Pluses undertaken for the budget.
As a result, Budget 2023 includes a gender budget statement and the publication of more than 200 GBA Plus summaries of budget measures, continuing a practice introduced in Budget 2019. In terms of the GBA Plus of Budget 2023:
- Most (75%) GBA Plus were initiated early or mid-stage of the initiative, which is indicative of the continuous efforts to better integrate GBA Plus earlier and throughout the budget process. Moreover, 41% of GBA Plus were initiated early, which is higher than Budget 2022, for which 32% were initiated early.
- The Budget reports that 14% of measures identified a potential barrier to access or participation for a specific demographic group. For most measures (90%) where a barrier was identified, a proposed approach to removing obstacles for groups experiencing these barriers was included.
GBA Plus as part of the implementation of the Impact Assessment Act
WAGE supports the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and partner departments on the implementation of the 2019 Impact Assessment Act. This legislation requires that proponents of major initiatives, including resource projects, apply GBA Plus to project planning and implementation to assess potential project impacts on different groups of people.
Through this legislation, WAGE is working to ensure that the negative impacts of projects are mitigated, including those related to gender-based violence, and that the benefits of these projects are felt equally among different groups of people.
Both Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations Canada are important partners in the implementation of this legislation and in the application of GBA Plus from an Indigenous perspective.
Overview of progress on previous OAG audits and Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI)recommendations on GBA Plus
Issue/question
What is the government doing to address recommendations to improve GBA Plus?
Suggested response
- The Government of Canada has made significant progress to improve GBA Plus – this includes increasing the scope, scale, and quality of GBA Plus application throughout decision-making, as well as increasing the availability of disaggregated data.
- As a result of the FEWO Reports, Audits, and OECD reports, several improvements have been made:
- GBA Plus is now required in MCs, TB Submissions, budget submissions, annual departmental plans and results reports.
- Federal budget submissions and annual departmental plans and results reports are now made public.
- Guidance to apply GBA Plus to evaluations.
- Development of criteria for assessing the quality of GBA Plus.
- An investment in the availability of disaggregated data including a new Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion and, in Budget 2021, $170M was invested for the Disaggregated Data Action Plan.
- WAGE with the collaboration of key delivery partners, developed a key competency framework, established new governance structures and launched a Call for Proposals for community-based research.
Background
Recommendations in previous reports
The 2009 audit of by the Auditor General of Canada reviewed GBA practices in nine departments and found uneven implementation of GBA and little evidence of its influence on decision-making. The Auditor General made several recommendations for improving the application of GBA Plus, including:
- Requiring written summaries in MCs and TB Submissions of how GBA Plus was incorporated;
- More formal assessments by central agencies of the quality of GBA Plus in decision-making documents;
- Developing guidance to communicate to departments the expectation of applying GBA Plus to decision-making; and
- Providing sufficient resources to Status of Women Canada (now WAGE) to enable it to monitor and assess the application of GBA Plus by departments.
The 2015 Report of the Auditor General of Canada, “Implementing Gender-Based Analysis”, highlighted the need to do more to fully implement GBA as a rigorous practice across government. In particular, the Auditor General made several recommendations, including:
- Taking concrete actions to identify and address barriers to applying GBA Plus;
- Assess and report on the application of GBA Plus and its impacts; and
- Assess and assign sufficient resources within Status of Women Canada (now WAGE) to deliver its GBA Plus mandate.
Following the 2015 audit, the Standing Committees on Public Accounts (PACP) and Status of Women (FEWO) released separate reports on the state of GBA Plus in the Government of Canada. FEWO recommendations included calls for improved governance, legislated requirements for GBA Plus, the promotion of intersectional GBA Plus, mandatory GBA Plus training, and requirements that GBA Plus be integrated in cabinet documents as well as departmental plans and reporting. PACP recommendations stressed the need for mandatory requirements to complete GBA Plus in MCs and TB submissions and to report back to the Committee on progress. Interim and final progress reports were provided to both committees in March 2017 and 2018 respectively. In response to reports on GBA Plus implementation by the PACP and FEWO, the Government committed to update both Committees on progress. The Department has done so by providing updates on Action Plan commitments through an interim report in 2017, and a final report in 2018.
The Government of Canada commissioned the OECD to undertake a review of the gender equality ecosystem, including GBA Plus application, governance and budgeting practices. The review, released in June 2018, provided a number of recommendations for GBA Plus, including:
- Expanding the mandate of WAGE to expand the focus from solely women and include a focus on broader issues to align with the broad nature of GBA Plus, as well as the resources for WAGE to become the government’s policy hub on issues of gender equality, GBA Plus and intersectionality.
- Clarifying authority and responsibility to strengthen consideration of gender equality and intersectionality in Cabinet decision-making.
- Developing a data strategy to address data-related barriers to GBA Plus and support progress under the Gender Results Framework.
- Establishing criteria for assessing the quality of GBA Plus.
- Supporting departments in the early application of GBA Plus in policy development and ensure GBA Plus is applied throughout the policy cycle.
- Making GBA Plus reports public in a manner that is respectful of Cabinet confidence.
- That the OAG consider GBA Plus in all performance audits, and that Parliamentary committees integrate GBA Plus considerations in their work.
The 2022 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on GBA Plus highlighted persistent gaps and the need to do more to fully implement GBA as a rigorous practice across government. In particular, the Auditor General made several recommendations, including:
- That TBS and PCO provide timely and documented feedback to departments and agencies on the application of GBA Plus in their Memoranda to Cabinet and Treasury Board submissions and should share this feedback with WAGE. Departments and agencies should then make future cycle improvements to strengthen the application of GBA Plus.
- Women and Gender Equality Canada should ensure its efforts as a leader and centre of expertise help to advance GBA Plus across all of the federal government.
- PCO and TBS should ensure all departments and agencies appropriately implement the GBA Plus Framework and report publicly on their progress.
- PCO, TBS and WAGE should work with departments and agencies to ensure that disaggregated data is sought, compiled, and used in the design, delivery, and measurement of all policies, programs, and initiatives.
- WAGE, with the support of PCO and TBS, should comprehensively monitor and publicly report on the status of GBA Plus implementation across the federal government, including plans to advance GBA Plus implementation.
- TBS should issue guidance to departments and agencies for reporting GBA Plus in their departmental results report that requires complete, accurate, and consistent results that can contribute in a meaningful way to analysis on the progress of GBA Plus implementation and impacts.
- WAGE, in collaboration with other responsible departments and agencies and central agencies, should
- develop specific and measurable targets for the results frameworks that it leads and to which it contributes; and
- develop and implement a plan and monitor results to improve the availability of data for the intersectional identity factors relevant to all indicators used in related frameworks.
Progress on previous report recommendations
WAGE, in collaboration with central agencies, line departments and other GBA Plus delivery partners, has made significant progress on all previous recommendations related to GBA Plus noted above. In particular:
- Templates for MCs, TB Submissions, federal budget submissions, and annual departmental plans and results reports require documentation from all departments and agencies as to the findings of GBA Plus and how it was considered in the development and implementation of policies, programs, services and other federal initiatives (2009 audit). In addition, the GBA Plus for federal budget submissions and annual departmental plans and results reports are made public (2015 FEWO report; 2015 PACP report; 2018 OECD report).
- GBA Plus application has also been legislated through various pieces of legislation, which also serve to clarify roles and responsibilities for applying GBA Plus (2015 FEWO report; 2018 OECD report). In particular, GBA Plus application has been legislated through the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act, the Impact Assessment Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Accessible Canada Act.
Moreover, in recent years, the Government has implemented a number of non-legislative requirements for the application of GBA Plus (2015 FEWO report; 2015 PACP report), including:
- The Directive on Results, which requires program officials, in establishing, implementing, and maintaining Performance Information Profiles for programs to include GBA Plus (where relevant).
- The Cabinet Directive on Regulation requires federal departments and agencies to undertake an assessment of social and economic impacts of each regulatory proposal on diverse groups of Canadians.
- The Policy on Transfer Payments requires departments and agencies ensure that transfer payment programs are designed and delivered to be inclusive and gender- and diversity-sensitive and respond to government policy objectives and priorities.
- Ministerial mandate letters since 2019 have required all Ministers to apply GBA Plus to decision-making.
In 2019, TBS issued guidance to line departments communicating expectations for applying GBA Plus to evaluations of programs (2015 FEWO report; 2015 PACP report; 2018 OECD report).
In 2019, WAGE collaborated with PCO and TBS to develop criteria for assessing the quality of GBA Plus (2018 OECD report). These criteria allowed WAGE and the central agencies to make formal assessments of the quality of GBA Plus in decision-making documents (2009 audit). These criteria also allowed for the development of guidance by central agencies with respect to expectations for the application of GBA Plus in decision-making documents (2009 audit).
In 2016, WAGE established whole-of-government governance structures and other mechanisms for identifying barriers to GBA Plus application, and for monitoring and reporting on its implementation and impacts. For example, WAGE established an interdepartmental network of GBA Plus Champions at the senior executive level, as well as a committee of GBA Plus focal points, who meet quarterly to discuss promising practices, barriers to implementation and strategies for addressing barriers. In addition, WAGE and the Canada School of Public Service established an interdepartmental Learning Advisory Working Group, as well as a Capacity-building Working Group in order to provide advice to WAGE, CSPS and central agencies on addressing barriers and strengthening departmental capacity (2015 audit; 2015 FEWO report; 2018 OECD report).
WAGE assesses and reports on GBA Plus application annually through information gathered from these governance committees, as well as from the annual GBA Plus Implementation Survey, initiated in 2016.
The results are shared annually with all Deputy Ministers through the Public Service Management Accountability Committee. In addition, WAGE has shared results of early implementation surveys through its departmental website. Finally, PCO and TBS each undertake an annual review of a sample of MCs and TB Submissions to assess the quality of GBA Plus application. Reports are produced and shared with WAGE (2015 audit).
In order to support departments in the early application of GBA Plus in the policy cycle, to address persistent barriers to GBA Plus application, and to strengthen GBA Plus and intersectionality considerations in cabinet and other decision-making documents, WAGE has developed a series of tools, resources and training since 2012. In particular:
- In 2021, WAGE, central agencies and other GBA Plus delivery partners disseminated a Step-by-Step Guide and Compendium of tools on intersectional factors to consider when doing GBA Plus. The Step-by-Step Guide emphasized the need to do GBA Plus in order to inform policy/program options, at the earliest stages of the policy and program development cycle, and to carry GBA Plus through to monitoring and evaluation (2018 OECD report; 2015 audit; 2015 FEWO report);
- WAGE developed a job aid on intersectionality to strengthen GBA Plus application and intersectionality considerations (2018 OECD report);
- Since 2017, WAGE has published 9 microlearning videos on the application of GBA Plus to specific issues, in order to address barriers in capacity to understand how to do GBA Plus (2015 audit). These videos, posted on WAGE’s website, focus on topics such as how to do GBA Plus; GBA Plus of climate change; GBA Plus of concussion prevention and treatment; and intersectionality (2015 audit; 2015 FEWO report; 2018 OECD report).
- WAGE, the Canada School of Public Service and other GBA Plus delivery partners have designed and delivered three GBA Plus courses to build public service capacity to apply GBA Plus. These courses include an Introduction to GBA Plus; an intermediate GBA Plus course; and an applied GBA Plus course (2015 audit; 2015 FEWO report; 2018 OECD report).
- WAGE provides ad-hoc technical advice and training to central agencies and line departments on the application of GBA Plus (2015 audit; 2018 OECD report).
In December 2018, through the Department for Women and Gender Equality Act, the Government of Canada expanded the mandate of the former Status of Women beyond women’s equality, to include broader considerations of gender equality and intersectional considerations (2018 OECD report). In addition, the legislation clarified WAGE’s authority for strengthening GBA Plus application and for promoting a greater understanding of intersectionality (2018 OECD report).
Having identified data availability as a persistent barrier to its optimal application (2015 audit, 2022 audit), the Government of Canada has made significant investments in improving the availability and access to disaggregated data (2018 OECD report).
In addition, in 2018, the Government of Canada announced investments in a new Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics at Statistics Canada. In 2019, this Centre launched a Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics Hub where all disaggregated data are housing, categorized and made accessible in various analytical formats.
- In federal Budget 2021, the Government of Canada announced $170 million to Statistics Canada to support a Disaggregated Data Action Plan (2018 OECD report; 2022 audit).
In response to more recent recommendations made by the Auditor General and/or SOCI, WAGE has taken several steps to build capacity and improve the quality of intersectional evidence to better inform government policies, programs and initiatives including:
- Improving methodology for greater intersectional guidance to strengthen quality and the analytical capacity of OGDs
- Making available Standing Offer of vetted intersectional experts
- Developing peer-to-peer learning program
- Undertaking functional reviews of MCs, TB-subs and proposals pertaining to the Budget and the impact assessment process
Gender-based Analysis Plus: Roles, responsibilities and tools
Issue/question
Who is responsible for applying GBA Plus in decision-making within the federal government and what resources are in place to support its application?
Suggested response
- All Ministers are accountable for implementing GBA Plus.
- It’s the responsibility of every public servant to ensure that GBA Plus informs decision-making. There are several tools and diverse training opportunities to ensure that public servants understand how to apply GBA Plus.
- WAGE and the three central agencies are responsible for the monitoring and oversight of GBA Plus application. The Canada School of Public Service, and Statistics Canada are key delivery partners.
- To deliver on a strengthened and more intersectional approach to GBA Plus, WAGE and its partners will:
- Enhance accountability
- Improve the collection and use of disaggregated data and evidence
- Strengthen governance for better coordination and coherence
- Grow intersectional competencies
- Promote a greater understanding of intersectionality
Background
Roles in GBA Plus
Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) supports the whole-of-government implementation of GBA Plus through the development of training and tools to support federal departments and agencies in applying GBA Plus. The department is also responsible for monitoring the government’s implementation of GBA Plus and for providing technical advice and guidance to central agencies and line departments on the application of GBA Plus.
The Privy Council Office, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, and other departments can directly consult Women and Gender Equality Canada as a centre of expertise when applying GBA Plus or developing related internal policies, guidance, and plans.
The Privy Council Office (PCO) has the responsibility to review department and agency submissions, such as Memoranda to Cabinet, which are presented to Cabinet for approval. These submissions are important steps in the policy life cycle of government. Analysts in the Privy Council Office guide departmental and agency staff to add and adjust content when they are submitting funding requests or other proposals. This role of the central agencies is to ensure that departments and agencies apply GBA Plus in their proposed policy, legislative, and program initiatives.
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) has the responsibility to review department and agency Treasury Board submissions, which are presented to Cabinet for approval. These submissions are important steps in the policy life cycle of government as they provide details on design, implementation and monitoring of federal initiatives.
- Under section 5 of the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act, once a year, the President of the Treasury Board, in consultation with the Minister of Finance, must make available to the public an analysis of the impacts of existing Government of Canada programs in terms of gender and diversity that they consider appropriate. As the administrative arm of the Treasury Board, the secretariat supports the President in fulfilling this request.
- The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat is also responsible for the implementation of the Policy on Results and, through this policy, the integration of GBA Plus into corporate planning and reporting, program evaluations and performance measurement.
Finance Canada leads on gender budgeting under the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act. Under the Act, the Minister of Finance must table before each House of Parliament a report on the impacts in terms of gender and diversity of all new budget measures, if an assessment of the impacts is not included in the budget plan or any related documents that the Minister has made public. In addition, the Minister of Finance must annually make available to the public analysis of impacts in terms of gender and diversity of the tax expenditures. As the Government of Canada’s centre of expertise on gender equality, WAGE works with Finance Canada on the implementation of the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act and the drafting of the Statement on Gender Equality and Diversity.
Federal departments and agencies are required to integrate GBA Plus into all decision-making, including Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board Submissions, federal budget proposals, and regulations.
Resources available to federal departments and agencies
Training
- Foundational GBA Plus training is available to all federal departments/agencies, as well as the general public, through the course Introduction to GBA Plus, available on the WAGE website. This course is also available to federal public servants through the Canada School of Public Service’s learning platform.
- Since this course was introduced in 2012, nearly 275,000 public servants, parliamentarians and their staff completed the Introduction to GBA Plus online course.
- In addition, a more advanced course on how to apply a comprehensive and intersectional GBA Plus is available to federal public servants through the Canada School of Public Service.
- Since this course was introduced in February 2021, over 600 federal public servants have completed the virtual, instructor-led course.
Resources
Since 2017, the following tools and resources have been made available to federal public servants and the general public, through WAGE’s website:
- Job Aid on Intersectionality
- Inclusive event planning job aid
- Microlearning video - Top 10 Don’ts of GBA Plus
- Microlearning video – Safer and stronger Canada at home and in the word
- Microlearning video – Does climate change affect us all the same way?
- Microlearning video – Applying GBA Plus to Concussion Prevention and Treatment
- Microlearning video - GBA+ in action at the Canadian Coast Guard
- Microlearning video – GBA Plus step-by-step
- Microlearning video – GBA Plus – Beyond sex and gender
- Microlearning video – GBA Plus – Equality or Equity?
- Microlearning video – GBA Plus – Homelessness of Veterans
- Guidance on developing a GBA Plus Framework within line departments
In addition, in June 2021, a new suite of tools to support public servants in applying rigorous intersectional GBA Plus has been piloted. Tools include a Step-by-Step Guide and Quick Reference tool with key questions to consider when doing GBA Plus, as well as a Compendium of tools on each of the individual identity factors to consider when doing GBA Plus. These tools included key statistics and considerations for each factor. These tools are currently being updated further to engagement on the strengths and weaknesses of the tools. These will continue to be improved over time so that public servants have the guidance required to apply GBA plus from an intersectional perspective.
Application of Gender-based Analysis Plus
Issue/question
How is the Government of Canada supporting the capacity of public servants to apply GBA Plus to decision-making?
Suggested response
The Government of Canada is growing capacity for greater consideration of GBA Plus in decision making by:
- Progressively increasing mandatory requirements for GBA Plus across key decision-making processes.
- As a result, organizations are incentivized to dedicate more resources to the function as well as develop the capacity of individual employees.
- More and more departments are making GBA Plus mandatory; in 2019-20, 54% of federal departments had mandatory GBA Plus training compared to 38% in 2019.
WAGE has also doubled down on efforts to grow capacity specific to decision-making processes including:
- Establishing a Learning Advisory Committee to align efforts and optimize available resources for GBA Plus capacity building. This involves shifting towards more train-the-trainer approaches so that more people are equipped to contribute to capacity building.
- Developing new tools that guide GBA Plus application in key decision-making processes. This includes the development of a guide to support Focal Points in assessing the quality of GBA Pluses and playing a challenge function within their organizations.
- Leveraged its Interdepartmental GBA Plus Committee to equip Focal Points to play a leadership in their organizations at key points of government’s decision-making processes. For example, special sessions are held to launch the budget process, where Finance Canada communicates process changes, expectations, and answers Focal Point’s questions.
Background
Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) is an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives. It is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issues we seek to address, identifying how initiatives could be tailored to meet diverse needs; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative.
GBA Plus is intersectional in its design, which means that it goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography, language, race, religion, and sexual orientation, as well as social context, including social norms, attitudes and systemic discrimination.
Efforts to advance government-wide capacity for robust GBA Plus
- The Government of Canada has sustained its commitment to Gender-based Analysis (GBA) for close to thirty years. It resulted from a 1995 federal commitment to its implementation in all federal departments and agencies in response to the UN’s Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action from the 4th World Conference on Women.
- In 2007, the revised Guide to Preparing Treasury Board Submissions made it mandatory for GBA Plus information to be included in all Treasury Board submissions.
- In 2011, the federal government rebranded GBA to GBA Plus. The ‘Plus’ was added to encourage consideration of the multiple factors that shape experiences and outcomes, beyond sex and gender. With this re-branding, the GBA Plus wheel was also introduced.
- In 2015, the Auditor General of Canada conducted a performance audit of GBA Plus which recommended to Status of Women Canada (now WAGE), Privy Council Office and Treasury Board Secretariat to work with all federal departments to identify barriers to GBA Plus implementation and to periodically assess and report on progress.
- In 2016, the Government of Canada developed the 2016-22 GBA Plus Action Plan, which implemented interdepartmental governance to support the implementation of GBA, a requirement for GBA Plus in
- Memorandum to Cabinet, and a recommitment to embed GBA Plus in Treasury Board submissions.
- In 2018, the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act passed. GBA Plus was legislated for all new annual budget measures, for tax expenditures, and for existing federal government expenditures.
- In 2019, GBA Plus commitments were included in all Ministerial mandate letters. This same year, the Impact Assessment Act came into force. GBA Plus is legislated for all major initiatives as part of impact assessments.
- Moreover, in recent years, the Government has implemented a number of non-legislative requirements for the application of GBA Plus, including:
- The Directive on Results, which requires program officials, in establishing, implementing, and maintaining Performance Information Profiles for programs to include GBA Plus (where relevant).
- The Cabinet Directive on Regulation requires federal departments and agencies to undertake an assessment of social and economic impacts of each regulatory proposal on diverse groups of Canadians.
- The Policy on Transfer Payments requires departments and agencies ensure that transfer payment programs are designed and delivered to be inclusive and gender- and diversity-sensitive and respond to government policy objectives and priorities.
- In September 2018, the Government launched Statistics Canada’s Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics in response to the growing demand for better intersectional data. The Centre houses quick facts, statistics and recent analysis related to gender equality and diversity. In 2021, Budget 2021 investments were made to strengthen the collection of disaggregated data to enable more robust GBA Plus. Amendments were made to the Policy on Transfer Payments to include GBA plus requirements in grants and contributions programs. Commitments were also made in Ministerial mandate letters to enhance the framing and parameters of GBA Plus.
- To monitor the application of GBA Plus across the federal government and to identify barriers to GBA Plus and opportunities to strengthen implementation, in 2016, WAGE introduced an annual GBA Plus implementation survey. The survey collects data from all federal departments and agencies on their GBA Plus governance, capacity, training, application, monitoring of GBA Plus and barriers. Information from this survey has been shared with Deputy Ministers as part of a process of continual improvement. Moreover, WAGE has used this information to identify new tools, training and other resources required to improve GBA Plus application by departments and agencies.
- In November 2018, WAGE hosted a GBA Plus Forum, bringing together more than 1,000 participants to share perspectives on strengthening GBA Plus. The Forum generated important insights, including the need for: inclusive engagement and opportunities for participation in decision-making; greater cultural competency; more awareness of the various factors to consider when doing GBA Plus; improved accountability; increased capacity for rigorous and intersectional analysis; and the need for a central focal point to facilitate ongoing progress on GBA Plus implementation.
- In 2017/18, the Government of Canada commissioned the OECD to undertake a review of the gender equality ecosystem, including GBA Plus application, governance and budgeting practices. The review provided a number of recommendations for GBA Plus, including:
- Expanding the mandate of WAGE to expand the focus from solely women and include a focus on broader issues to align with the broad nature of GBA Plus, as well as the resources for WAGE to become the government’s policy hub on issues of gender equality, GBA Plus and intersectionality.
- Clarifying authority and responsibility to strengthen consideration of gender equality and intersectionality in Cabinet decision-making.
- Developing a data strategy to address data-related barriers to GBA Plus and support progress under the Gender Results Framework.
- Establishing criteria for assessing the quality of GBA Plus.
- Supporting departments in the early application of GBA Plus in policy development and ensure GBA Plus is applied throughout the policy cycle.
- Making GBA Plus reports public in a manner that is respectful of Cabinet confidence.
- In addition to these recommendations, the OECD also called for the OAG to consider GBA Plus in all performance audits, and for Parliamentary committees to integrate GBA Plus considerations in their work.
The evolution of GBA Plus: A timeline
1995: Commitment to GBA
- Following the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, and with the endorsement of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Government of Canada committed to conducting GBA on all policies and programs.
2007: GBA Mandatory in Submissions to TBS
- The 2007 revised Guide to Preparing Treasury Board (TB) Submissions made it mandatory for GBA information to be included in any TB submission.
2011: Rebranding to GBA Plus
- In 2011, the Government of Canada rebranded GBA to GBA Plus. The “Plus” was added to encourage consideration of the multiple factors that shape experiences and outcomes, beyond sex and gender. With this rebranding, the GBA Plus wheel was introduced.
2015: Auditor General Audit of GBA Plus
- Recommended that Status of Women Canada, the Privy Council Office, and the Treasury Board Secretariat work with all federal organizations to identify the barriers to GBA Plus implementation and to periodically assess and report on progress.
2016: GBA Plus Action Plan
- The 2016–20 GBA Plus Action Plan included a requirement for GBA Plus in Memoranda to Cabinet and a commitment to embedding it into policy processes.
- GBA Plus being mandatory in TB submissions was reaffirmed.
- Governance to support GBA Plus was implemented. Training was expanded with Canada School of Public Service (CSPS).
2018: Budget 2018
- The Canadian Gender Budgeting Act passed in December 2018. GBA Plus is legislated for all new annual budget measures, for tax expenditures, and for existing expenditures.
2019: Mainstreaming GBA Plus
- GBA Plus commitments are included in all ministerial mandate letters.
- The Impact Assessment Act came into force. GBA Plus is legislated for all major initiatives as part of impact assessments.
2021-2022: Strengthening GBA Plus
- Commitments made in Ministerial mandate letters to enhance GBA Plus framing and parameters.
- Budget 2021 makes investments to strengthen disaggregated data in order to inform GBA Plus.
- Amendments made to the policy on transfer payments to include GBA Plus requirements in G&C programs.
Committee overview
Mandate
When the Speaker tables a report by the Auditor General in the House of Commons, it is automatically referred to the Public Accounts Committee. The Committee selects the chapters of the report it wants to study and calls the Auditor General and senior public servants from the audited organizations to appear before it to respond to the Office of the Auditor General’s findings. The Committee also reviews the federal government’s consolidated financial statements – the Public Accounts of Canada – and examines financial and/or accounting shortcomings raised by the Auditor General. At the conclusion of a study, the Committee may present a report to the House of Commons that includes recommendations to the government for improvements in administrative and financial practices and controls of federal departments and agencies.
Government policy, and the extent to which policy objectives are achieved, are generally not examined by the Public Accounts Committee. Instead, the Committee focuses on government administration – the economy and efficiency of program delivery as well as the adherence to government policies, directives and standards. The Committee seeks to hold the government to account for effective public administration and due regard for public funds.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3) of the House of Commons, the mandate of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts is to review and report on:
- The Public Accounts of Canada;
- All reports of the Auditor General of Canada;
- The Office of the Auditor General’s Departmental Plan and Departmental Results Report; and,
- Any other matter that the House of Commons shall, from time to time, refer to the Committee.
The Committee also reviews:
- The federal government’s consolidated financial statements;
- The Public Accounts of Canada;
- Makes recommendations to the government for improvements in spending practices;
- Considers the Estimates of the Office of the Auditor General.
Other responsibilities
- The economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government administration;
- The quality of administrative practices in the delivery of federal programs; and,
- Government’s accountability to Parliament with regard to federal spending.
PACP Members
Conservative Party of Canada
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John Williamson - Chair (New Brunswick)
John was first elected as MP for New Brunswick Southwest in 2011, he was then defeated in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 & 2021.
Prior to his election, M. Williamson occupied different positions. He was an editorial writer for the National Post from 1998 to 2001, then joined the Canadian Taxpayers Federation until 2008. In 2009, he was hired by Stephen Harper as director of communications in the PMO.
John currently also serves as a Member of the Liaison Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
He has previously served on many committees, including PACP for a brief time in 2013.
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John Nater (Ontario)
MP John Nater has served in West Perth in the municipal council before being elected as a federal MP for Perth-Wellington in 2015.
He has also served as the Vice Chair for the Canadian House and Commons standing Committee on Official Languages.
John Nater is the former Shadow Minister for Rural Economic Development and the current Shadow Minister for Canadian Heritage.
Mr. Nater is known as an expert on parliamentary procedure.
He has a degree in public affairs and policy management and a Master of Public Administration.
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Jake Stewart (New Brunswick)
MP Jake Stewart was elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in the 2010 provincial election, before he was elected in 2021 as a federal Conservative MP for Miramichi-Grand-Lake.
In provincial politics, Stewart was a member of the Standing Committees on Education, Private Bills, Procedure, Public Accounts, and Chaired the Standing Committee on Legislative Officers.
Jake Stewart is currently the shadow minister for national revenue.
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Kelly McCauley (Alberta)
Kelly McCauley was first elected as the Member of Parliament in 2015 for Edmonton West, he was then re-elected in 2019 and 2021.
He currently also serves as Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.
He is the former Conservative Shadow Minister for Treasury Board and has previously served on the COVID-19 Pandemic committee, as well as the subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of OGGO in 2020.
Before his election in 2015, Mr. McCauley was a hospitality executive specialized in managing hotels and convention centres.
He is a graduate of BCIT in the Hospitality Management program.
MP Kelly McCauley also has a history of advocacy for seniors and veterans.
Liberal Party of Canada
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Jean Yip – Vice-Chair (Ontario)
Jean Yip was first elected as MP for Scarborough—Agincourt in a by-election on December 11, 2017, and re-elected in 2019 & 2021.
She has served on Public Accounts (since 2018), as well as Government Operations and Canada-China committees in the past.
Jean Yip also serves on the Special Committee on the Canada – People’s republic Of China Relationship and as Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
Before her election, Ms. Yip was an insurance underwriter and constituency assistant.
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Valerie Bradford (Ontario)
Valerie Bradford was elected as MP for Kitchener South – Hespeler in 2021.
She also sits on the Science and Research committee and the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Science and Research.
MP Valerie Bradford is the Director of the Canada-Africa Association.
Prior to her election, Ms. Bradford worked as an economic development professional for the City of Kitchener.
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Kody Blois (Nova Scotial)
Kody Blois was first elected as MP for Kings-Hants in 2019 and then re-elected in 2021.
He is a Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture.
Kody Blois completed degrees in commerce, law, and public administration.
He is also the Chair of the committee on agriculture and subcommittee on agriculture and is also a member of public accounts and liaison.
Kody also is a member of multiple of Canada’s Parliamentary associations and groups.
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Iqra Khalid (Ontario)
Iqra Khalid was first elected as MP for Missisauga – Erin Mills in 2015, and then re-elected in 2019 & 2021.
She serves as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue.
She has served on the Standing Committee of Justice and Human Rights and sat on the Foreign Affairs and International Development Subcommittee on International Human Rights and now serves as Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics as well as a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.
MP Iqra Khalid has a degree in criminology and professional writing and has a Juris Doctor degree at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.
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Brenda Shanahan (Quebec)
Brenda Shanahan was first elected as MP for Châteauguay—Lacolle in 2015, and then re-elected in 2019 & 2021.
She is the caucus Chair of the Liberal Party.
She has served on Public Accounts (2016-2018), as well as Ethics, Government Operations, and MAID committees in the past.
She has also served as a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP).
Prior to her election, Ms. Shanahan was a banker and social worker, who has also been involved in a number of organizations such as Amnesty International and the Canadian Federation of University Women.
Bloc Québécois
Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné - Second Vice-Chair (Quebec)
Bloc Québécois Member of Parliament Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné was elected as MP for Terrebonne in the 2021 federal election.
She is the BQ Critic for Public Accounts; Pandemic Programs; and Federal Economic Development Agencies.
MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné is also the vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
Before her election, she has worked at the European Investment Bank and at PWC London.
She then returned to Quebec in 2017 to pursue a career in the Quebec business world.
Bloc Québécois
Blake Desjarlais (Alberta)
Blake Desjarlais was elected as MP for Edmonton Greisbach in 2021.
Blake Desjarlais is the NDP Critic for Treasury Board; Diversity and Inclusion; Youth; Sport; and Post-secondary Education. He is also the Deputy Critic for 2SLGBTQI+ Rights; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Is also a member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
MP Desjarlais is also the first openly Two-Spirit person to be an MP, and Alberta’s only Indigenous Member of Parliament.
Related information
- Copy of the 2022 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada: Report 3—Follow-up on Gender-based Analysis Plus
- Copy of the 2022 Management Response and Action Plan
- Copy of the SOCI Recommendations, Executive Summary with Government Responses
- Summary, Witness List and Transcripts – SOCI Study on GBA Plus
- Transcript – April 2016 Appearance Before PACP
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