The House of Commons Standing
Committee on the Status of Women (“the Committee”) undertook a study on the
implementation in the federal government of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+),
an analytical process which examines the possible effects of legislation,
policies, and programs on diverse groups of women and men, girls and boys.
Testimony was provided by 28
witnesses in 6 meetings held on 25 February 2016 and from 3 to 17 May 2016. These
meetings confirmed the positive
difference that
the implementation of GBA+ makes to the quality, responsiveness, and
effectiveness of government policies, programs and legislation. The meetings
also underscored that despite the long history of work on the topic of GBA+,
the federal government’s commitment to the implementation of GBA+ is far from
being fulfilled.
Throughout the testimony, the Committee learned of many
opportunities to promote and improve the implementation of GBA+ among federal
departments and agencies. In particular, the Committee was convinced that many
aspects of the GBA+ process should be made mandatory through legislation, as
outlined in two of the 21 recommendations:
Recommendation 14
That the Government of Canada, following consultation with federal
departments and agencies, as well as civil society, introduce legislation by
June 2017 that sets out obligations of federal departments and agencies with
regard to the implementation of Gender-Based Analysis (GBA+).
Recommendation 17
That the Government of Canada introduce legislation, by or before
June 2017, which legislates that:
- Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) is applied to all proposals
before they arrive at Cabinet for decision making;
- GBA+ is a mandatory portion of Privy
Council Office, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and Department of
Finance submissions for all departments and agencies;
- The Privy Council Office and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
are mandated to return policies and programs that do not demonstrate the
application of GBA+.
Furthermore, the Committee was interested in options for new forms
of leadership to support and enforce the implementation of GBA+ in Canada. In
particular, the Committee supported the idea of establishing a Commissioner for
Gender Equality, who would be an Agent of Parliament and would have the mandate
to promote the implementation of GBA+ in federal departments and agencies. The
Committee outlined this in a recommendation:
Recommendation 3
That the Government of Canada introduce legislation by June 2017
that will create the Office of the Commissioner for Gender Equality, based on
the model of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Language; that this
legislation establish the Commissioner for Gender Equality as an Agent of
Parliament and set out clearly the powers and responsibilities of the Office of
the Commissioner for Gender Equality; and that the Commissioner for Gender
Equality be provided with all necessary resources to fulfil his or her mandate.
The recommendations presented in this study provide a path towards
improved implementation of GBA+ in federal departments and agencies. The
Committee hopes that this report will remind federal organizations of the value
of applying GBA+. By fully implementing GBA+, the federal government can improve
the quality of its policies, programs and legislation, to ensure they serve
Canadians in all their diversity.
Over 20 years ago, the Government of Canada signed the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action, whereby the federal government
committed to applying gender-based analysis (GBA) on all future policies,
programs and legislation. GBA is an analytical
tool that can be used to evaluate the gender-specific impact of government
initiatives.
In Canada, GBA remains relevant today as women and girls still face gender
inequality, whether it takes the form of the gender wage gap, a
disproportionate responsibility for child and elder care, or an
underrepresentation of women in politics.
However, the federal government
is increasingly aware of the growing diversity of Canada’s population and the
need for an evolution in the concept of gender-based analysis; as a result, in
recent history, Status of Women Canada developed the concept of GBA+ with the
goal of recognizing and addressing these intersecting identities. GBA+ examines
the possible effects of legislation, policies, and programs on diverse groups
of women and men, girls and boys, by taking into consideration gender and other
identity factors.
The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women
(“the Committee”) agreed on 8 March 2016 to conduct a study on GBA+ and its
implementation at the national level in Canada. The Committee adopted the
following motion:
That the Committee study ways in which the
government could more fully implement Gender-Based Analysis (GBA) to advance
gender equality, including:
- Examine the work being done by a number of
federal departments and agencies to implement systems to monitor the use of GBA
in government processes;
- Identify best practices in measuring the impacts
of government policies and programs in creating more equitable results;
- Examine the gaps outlined by the Auditor General
in the application of GBA and how to address these.
That the Committee report its findings to the
House; and that the Committee request a government response to its report.[2]
The Committee was inspired to study GBA+ following the results of
the Office of
the Auditor General of Canada’s 2015 fall reports, Implementing Gender-Based
Analysis (hereafter OAG’s 2015 Fall Report 1), which concluded that
selected departments did
not always perform GBA to inform government decisions, and that “the
departments that had implemented a GBA framework did not always conduct
complete analyses, and the quality of their analyses was not consistent.”[3] As well, the report stated
that since 2009, SWC and relevant central agencies had made progress
“supporting the implementation of gender-based analysis throughout the federal
government by providing assistance, guidance, and training.”[4]
The Committee heard from 28 witnesses in 6 meetings
held on 25 February 2016 and from 3 to 17 May 2016. The Committee was briefed
by officials from the following federal departments, agencies and central
agencies: Employment and Social Development Canada; Indigenous and
Northern Affairs Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development; Natural
Resources Canada; Status of Women Canada (SWC); Immigration, Refugees and
Citizenship Canada; Department of Finance Canada; Public Works and Government
Services Canada; Statistics Canada; Privy Council Office (PCO); and Treasury
Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS).
The Committee also heard from officials from the Office of the
Auditor General,
who discussed the OAG’s 2015 Fall Report 1.[5] In addition, the Committee heard from a number of expert and academic witnesses
on the subject of GBA+ and its implementation domestically and internationally.
Lastly, the Committee received briefs from a number of organizations and
follow-up responses to questions from Committee members.
The Committee’s report summarizes the evidence gathered during the
study, starting with a definition of GBA+, a history of GBA+ at the federal
level in Canada, and an overview of current GBA+ initiatives at the federal
level. The report also examines the key themes highlighted during the study:
understanding a GBA+ framework; training and education on GBA+; leadership to
promote GBA+; implementation of GBA+; accountability mechanisms and the role of
mandatory enforcement; evaluation mechanisms; and collaboration with the goal
of promoting the implementation of GBA+. The report concludes with GBA+ success
stories, which demonstrate the untold value of applying GBA+ to government
policies, programs and legislation.
The Committee is concerned that only 29 of approximately 110
federal organizations have committed to GBA+ through the 2009 Departmental Action
Plan on Gender-Based Analysis.[6] The Committee hopes that this report will require federal organizations to
re-examine the concept of GBA+ and how its effective implementation could
benefit the policies, programs and legislation they develop.
The Committee was informed that gender-based analysis (GBA) is a
tool used by different levels of government, international organizations and
non-governmental organizations in order to assess the gender-specific impact of
legislation, policies, and programs on women and men.
According to witnesses, gender-based analysis can be employed at a
national level in several ways:
- the implementation of GBA can be voluntary, promoted or
mandatory;
- GBA can be employed by governments, by the bureaucracy (departments
and agencies), and/or by parliamentarians;
- GBA can be applied to legislation, policies, programs, and
budgetary and financial processes;
- GBA can be applied at
different stages of policy, program and legislation development – during
development and design, throughout consultation, and during the
evaluation of outcomes and application.
At the international level, gender-based analysis may also be
referred to as “gender mainstreaming” or “gender analysis.”[7]
The Committee learned that in Canada, gender-based analysis plus
(GBA+) is an analytical tool employed by the federal government to improve and
advance gender equality in Canada. According to SWC – the agency that takes the
leadership role in promoting GBA+ throughout
the federal government – GBA+ analyzes the possible impacts of legislation,
policies, programs or initiatives on
diverse groups of women
and men, girls and boys, by taking into consideration gender and other identity factors. The “plus” in GBA+
incorporates a range of intersecting identity factors, such as age, education,
language, geography, culture and income.[8]
The Committee was informed that a department or agency has
completed GBA according to SWC if, before decision making, it has:
- “reviewed data sources such as research papers, quantitative data
such as statistics, and other gender-related information relevant to the
initiative;
- considered the perspectives of stakeholders, including affected
groups of women and men;
- examined the gender considerations raised in data sources and by
stakeholders, to determine whether any are relevant to the initiative and could
have different impacts on specific groups of women and men; and
- in cases where there are relevant gender considerations, proposed
options or risk-mitigation measures to address any inequalities in the outcomes
of the initiative on those gender groups, or justified why the gender
considerations do not apply to the initiative.”[9]
Witnesses reminded the Committee that historically, federal government
initiatives were informed by a “gender-blind” approach, whereby the impact of
gender and other identity factors were not understood or acknowledged in the
development of policies, programs and legislation.[10] In some cases, government initiatives even served to maintain and shape
inequality, either inadvertently or purposefully.[11] There was widespread
agreement among witnesses that the implementation of GBA, followed by a move to
GBA+, has the potential for significant and positive impact on public policy in
Canada.[12]
In its brief, the Women’s Xchange Team stated that GBA+ is essential for
“developing effective and equitable policies, programs and legislation for
diverse populations.”[13]
The Committee heard that the application of GBA+ by governments can
contribute to the overall goal of achieving gender equality. Implementing GBA+
assists the federal government in identifying the impacts of its initiatives on
different identities, especially gender. This enables the government to address
any negative impacts, and in turn, to
fulfil international commitments regarding gender equality, such as those
contained in
the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.[14]
The Committee heard that when GBA+ is not applied, the federal
government may not understand, identify, and address the adverse consequences
of an initiative on certain
segments of the population.[15] Witnesses indicated that
if GBA+ is not applied before a policy, program or legislation is developed, it
can result in additional costs if the initiative requires changes during its
implementation or at a later date.[16] In
a brief to the Committee, YWCA Canada provided examples of opportunities where
upcoming federal initiatives would benefit from the application of GBA+:
democratic reform, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous
Women and Girls, housing and homelessness policies, and employment insurance.[17]
Witnesses underscored the false belief that certain government initiatives
in some sectors – for example, fisheries, national security, or infrastructure
– do not require the application of GBA+ as there is no obvious connection to
identity factors such as gender.[18] The Committee heard that it is important, even in these cases, to conduct GBA+
because civil servants may uncover an unexpected result once they “scratch the
surface.”[19]
The Committee was provided with examples of federal government
initiatives whose positive outcomes were due, in part, to the implementation of
GBA+. However, witnesses said that there needs to be improved efforts to share
these success stories with the goal of teaching the general public, civil
servants, departments, and political leaders the importance of this analysis.[20]
The Committee learned of a number of significant events, reports
and publications on the subject of GBA and GBA+, as outlined below:
- 1995: After Canada signed the 1995 Beijing Declaration and
Platform for Action, the Government of Canada made a commitment to conduct
GBA on all future legislation, policies and programs.[21]
- 2002: The Immigration and
Refugee Protection Act came into force in 2002 and includes a legislative requirement for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to provide GBA of
the impact of the Act in an annual report to Parliament.[22]
- 2005: FEWO published a report
entitled Gender-Based Analysis: Building Blocks for Success which
contained nine recommendations and specifically called on the government to
launch consultations aimed at “the development of legislation that would ensure
the systematic application of gender-based analysis to all … federal policy and
program activities.”[23]
- 2005: The Expert Panel on
Accountability Mechanisms for Gender Equality was appointed by the federal
government to advise the government on how to implement GBA and improve gender equality.[24] The Panel issued a report Equality for Women:
Beyond the Illusion recommending that legislation be created to
“ensure enhanced gender equality outcomes across Government, including the use
of gender-based analysis, monitoring and reporting.”[25]
- 2006 and 2011: FEWO issued two
short follow-up reports on gender-based analysis (which were not preceded by a study): a report in May 2006 which re-stated the findings of the
2005 report,[26] and a
report in March 2011, which recommended that all legislation introduced by the
Minister of Justice and the Minister of Public Safety undergo GBA before being
introduced to Parliament.[27]
- 2009: FEWO tabled a report on
gender-responsive budgeting, whereby GBA is applied to a country’s budget. The report, Towards Gender Responsive Budgeting: Rising to the
Challenge of Achieving Gender Equality, included
10 (of a total of 27) recommendations related to implementing GBA.[28]
- 2009: In the 2009 Spring
Report of the Auditor General of Canada, a chapter on GBA examined 68 recent
programs, policies, and acts of legislation developed in 7 departments to see
whether the initiatives had undergone GBA.[29] The report indicated that the existence and
completeness of GBA varied significantly among departments, and this limited the effective
application of GBA to legislation.[30]
- 2009: The PCO, TBS, and SWC created the 2009 Departmental
Action Plan on Gender-Based Analysis, as a response to the findings of the
2009 Spring Report of the Auditor General of Canada.[31]
- 2012: The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts
tabled a report, Chapter 1: “Gender-Based
Analysis,” of the Spring
2009 Report of the Auditor
General of Canada, that contained five recommendations aimed at
strengthening the implementation of GBA.[32]
- 2015: The Minister for the Status of Women’s mandate letter
(November 2015) listed, as a top priority: “Work with the Privy Council Office
to ensure that a gender-based analysis is applied to proposals before they
arrive at Cabinet for decision-making.”[33]
- 2016: Among the 2015 Fall Reports of the Auditor General of Canada,
tabled in 2016, Report 1: Implementing Gender-Based Analysis provided
the results of an audit on the implementation of GBA at the federal level. The
report concluded that selected departments were not always performing GBA to
inform government decision making and those departments that had implemented
the GBA framework were not always conducting complete or high-quality analyses.[34]
The Committee would like to note that despite the long history of
work on the topic of GBA and GBA+ as outlined above, a great number of
recommendations from the aforementioned reports have not been implemented, and
as a result the federal government’s 1995 commitment has still not been fully
realized.
The Committee heard of a “renewed commitment”[35] by the
federal government to the implementation of GBA+, making it an emerging
priority in departments, agencies, and at the PCO and TBS.[36] SWC told the
Committee that this commitment was underscored by Budget 2016, which
provided increased investments to the agency over the next
five years – $23.1 million over five years, with $3 million in the first year
and $5 million ongoing – and some of these resources will be invested in
improving the agency’s capacity to support departments and agencies in the
implementation of GBA+.[37]
Furthermore, the Minister for
the Status of Women’s mandate letter (November 2015) listed, as a top priority: “Work with the Privy Council Office to ensure that a gender-based
analysis is applied to proposals before they arrive at Cabinet for
decision-making.”[38]
Testimony suggested some departments have increased their
commitment to GBA+ since the tabling of the OAG’s 2015 Fall Report 1.
SWC is an agency of the federal government that was established in
1976 in order to promote “equality between women and men in all aspects of
Canadian life.”[39] SWC takes the leadership role in promoting GBA+.
Justine Akman, Director General at SWC, explained:
As an agency, Status of Women has a central role
in supporting the use of GBA across federal organizations. As a centre of
excellence on GBA, this includes providing departments and agencies with the
tools, training, and guidance they need to effectively incorporate GBA in the
development of policies, programs, and legislation.[40]
According to SWC’s 2016–17 Report on Plans and Priorities,
the agency’s organizational priorities include “strengthening implementation”
of GBA+. The report explains that
“SWC, in collaboration with central agencies, will support federal
organizations to build capacity to integrate GBA+ into their decision-making
processes, with the goal of ensuring that legislation, policies and programs
meet the needs of diverse women and girls.”[41]
Under this priority, the report lists three planned initiatives,
with a start date of April 2016 and end date of March 2017. These
initiatives are:[42]
- “Working in collaboration with PCO and TBS,
develop an updated GBA Strategic Plan and undertake priority activities
to respond to the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report tabled in
Parliament in February, 2016.
- Enhance monitoring and reporting mechanisms on the implementation
of GBA in the federal Government and develop systems to ensure that GBA is
applied to policy proposals destined for Cabinet.
- Support departments and targeted sectors (science, economic and
security) in the implementation of GBA through the development and provision of
training, tools and networking opportunities to broaden the scope and enhance knowledge of GBA across Government.”
In response to the first initiative outlined
above, the Committee was provided
with the SWC, PCO and TBS Action Plan on Gender-based Analysis for 2016–2020,
which establishes a new direction for the implementation of GBA+ following the 2009 Departmental Action Plan on Gender-Based Analysis. This new
Action Plan was developed as a response to the OAG’s 2015 Fall Report 1.[43]
The Committee heard that SWC is “fundamentally a facilitator”[44] in the implementation of GBA+ across the federal government. Ms.
Akman explained that the agency needs all departments and agencies “to take ownership of ensuring that
diversity and gender are considered in initiatives”[45] because “we
couldn’t possibly do gender-based analysis for all of government.”[46] Vaughn
Charlton, Manager of Gender-Based Analysis at SWC, told the Committee that
efforts to promote GBA+ must take into account SWC’s “small size and … limited
capacity.”[47]
All federal departments and agencies are encouraged by SWC to
conduct GBA+ and to monitor the implementation of such analysis. According to SWC, as of May 2016, 29 federal departments and
agencies of approximately 110 have formally signed on to the 2009 Departmental Action Plan on Gender-Based Analysis, a commitment to conduct GBA+. SWC
officials reminded the Committee that those departments who have not signed on
could still be conducting GBA+.[48]
The Committee learned that there has been small
growth in the number of departments and agencies committed to GBA+. Between
2009 and 2013, 25 federal departments and agencies formally signed on to the 2009
Departmental Action Plan on Gender-based Analysis. These departments
and agencies account for approximately
60% of all government spending.[49]
The Committee also heard that departments and agencies are putting
greater effort into applying GBA+ to documents prepared for TBS and PCO before
submitting them, as explained in greater detail below.[50]
The central agencies of the PCO, the TBS and the Department of
Finance have been tasked with a “challenge” function, whereby the
central agencies encourage federal organizations to apply GBA+ and provide
guidance to these departments and agencies on how to incorporate GBA+ in their
submissions.
The Treasury Board of Canada is a Cabinet committee of the Privy
Council and is responsible for reviewing “accountability and ethics, financial,
personnel and administrative management, comptrollership, approving regulations
and most Orders-in-Council.”[51]
The Treasury Board’s administrative arm is the TBS, which offers advice and
makes recommendations to the Treasury Board committee.[52]
The Committee learned that in seeking authorities or approvals from
the Treasury Board in order to implement a new Government of Canada program or
a project, departments must prepare a Treasury Board Submission.[53] In a guidance document for
preparing these submissions, the Secretariat says that a department or agency
“should tailor TB submissions to sufficiently address all gender considerations
revealed through the GBA” and “is expected to provide evidence that it has
taken GBA considerations into account and to report relevant findings in [the]
TB submission.”[54]
The PCO provides “non-partisan public service support to the Prime
Minister and Cabinet and its decision-making structures.”[55] The PCO is led by the
Clerk of the Privy Council, who is the head of the federal public service,
deputy minister to the Prime Minister, and secretary to the Cabinet.[56]
The Committee heard that the PCO, in its challenge function,
requests that departments and agencies provide the necessary analysis, including
GBA+, before they submit proposals to cabinet.[57] The Committee learned that PCO has a memorandum to
cabinet template that requires departments to incorporate a number of elements
in the submissions, such as an environmental sustainability analysis, an
official languages analysis, a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms analysis, and a GBA+.[58]
The Department of Finance is the government’s central source of
analysis and advice on Canada’s economic and financial affairs, and has lead
responsibility for “policy development on tax and tariff legislation, major
federal transfers to provinces and territories, the legislative and regulatory
framework for the financial sector, and representing Canada within
international financial institutions.”[59] The Committee learned that
Finance Canada has “made a commitment to perform GBA+ on all new policy
proposals it develops and presents to the Minister of Finance, including tax
and spending measures, where appropriate and where data exists.”[60]
As part of the Department of Finance’s challenge function, the
department “reviews budget proposals put forth by other federal departments and
agencies, and provides advice to the Minister of Finance on funding decisions.”[61] It requires all department
and agencies to submit GBA+ as part of the package in budget proposals, and a
summary of the GBA+ results are included in budget advice for the Minister of
Finance.[62]
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is the only federal
department that is required to conduct and report to Parliament on GBA. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act,
which came into force in 2002, includes a legislative requirement to provide
gender-based analysis of the impact of the Act in an annual report to
Parliament.[63] As such, the Act specifically provides that: “The Minister must … table in
each House of Parliament a report on the operation of this Act in the preceding
calendar year” and “the report shall include a description of … a gender-based analysis
of the impact of this Act.”
The Committee heard that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Canada has a GBA unit in the Strategic Policy and Planning Branch, which acts
as the functional authority responsible for the department’s GBA+ policy and organizational
capacity, and a GBA+ Champion who highlights the
effectiveness of applying this analysis.[64]
At the parliamentary level, the House of Commons Standing Committee
on the Status of Women has the mandate to examine questions related to women.[65] The small number of bills
referred to the Committee for consideration are on issues solely related to
women. Other committees, when they conduct studies of legislation, do not
regularly include GBA+ as a component of their studies, which means there is no
systematic application of GBA+ to the study of legislation.
The Committee heard that an understanding of the concept of GBA+
has an impact on relevant training, implementation, enforcement and oversight,
monitoring and evaluation, and the ability to collaborate on this topic.
At the federal level in Canada, there is a no consistent
application of the concept of GBA+: SWC promotes the use of GBA+, and federal
departments and agencies refer to GBA+, GBA or sex- and gender-based analysis
(SGBA). Furthermore, witnesses noted an inconsistent understanding of “sex” and
“gender” among departments and agencies, which leads to general confusion and
challenges in collaboration and evaluations.[66]
Witnesses told the Committee that while there can be differences in
training
and implementation, the basic analytical process at the federal level should
have the
same name, include the same identity factors, and incorporate clear definitions
of key terminology.[67]
With regards to the terminology of “sex” and “gender”, the
Committee heard that it is important for departments and agencies to understand
the difference in order to acknowledge the experience of people who do not fit
into binary categories, such as transgender or intersex people, and who are a
particularly vulnerable population group.[68]
The Committee received a document that defined sex and gender from
the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), which could provide a
definition of these terms to other departments and agencies:[69]
- Sex “refers to a set of biological attributes in humans
and animals. It is primarily associated with physical and physiological
features including chromosomes, gene expression, hormone levels and function,
and reproductive/sexual anatomy. Sex is usually categorized as female or male
but there is variation in the biological attributes that comprise sex and how
those attributes are expressed.”
- Gender “refers to the socially constructed roles,
behaviours, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, men, and gender
diverse people. It influences how people perceive themselves and each
other, how they act and interact, and the distribution of power and resources
in society. Gender is usually conceptualized as a binary (girl/woman and
boy/man) yet there is considerable diversity in how individuals and groups
understand, experience, and express it.”
Many witnesses indicated that the concept of intersectionality must
also be reinforced in a GBA+ framework. The concept of intersectionality
recognizes the complex interactions of identities and social categorizations
such as – but not limited to – sexual orientation, disability, age, class,
education, religion, gender. These intersecting identities form and uphold
overlapping and interdependent systems of privilege, discrimination and
inequality.[70] As was explained to the Committee by Olena
Hankivsky, Professor of the School of Public Policy at Simon Fraser University:
We also have increasingly diverse populations…. By
2031, 29% to 32% of Canadians
will belong to a visible minority. One-third mother tongue will be neither
English nor French. Canada is already home to more than 200 different ethnic
origins. Increasing numbers are identifying with multiple ethnicities. What we
need is the development of new frameworks. We've been doing GBA for over 20
years now. We need new ways of mainstreaming equality that are better suited to
understanding and responding to the multi-dimensional and context-driven nature
of oppression and discrimination.[71]
In response to the evolving diversity in Canada, Ms. Hankivsky
suggested that it’s time for “a post GBA+ conversation.”[72] Cindy Hanson, Associate Professor of Adult Education at the University of
Regina and President Elect of the
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women, recommended to the
Committee that GBA “become a practice more closely linked to intersectionality
to ensure that women who are poor, Indigenous, newcomers, disabled or otherwise
excluded, not be further excluded by policies that discriminate by treating all
women as the same.”[73] Witnesses reminded the Committee that
there is often greater diversity within women than there is between women and
men, and that some women exercise power over men and some men are subordinate
to some women.[74]
Witnesses indicated that focusing on the intersectional nature of
GBA+ can be “good marketing” because it counteracts the view that GBA+ is
centred on only “women.” This understanding of the concept of “GBA+” stems from
its roots in an analysis based on gender; its incorrect implementation whereby
“women” are still the focus; and its name in which “gender” is central and the
“plus” is added. When other identities are excluded in GBA+, there can be a
negative reaction and resistance among the general public and civil servants.[75]
As explained by Ms.
Hankivsky: “If we continue to prioritize gender, and in particular lumping
society into two homogeneous groups – men and women – it won't matter how well
or systematically we are implementing our mainstream and strategies because
we're not going to be using the right approach to advance equality.”[76]
Recommendation 1
That the Government of Canada, through Status of Women Canada,
develop and present a clear and consistent definition of “gender” and “sex” for
use by federal departments and agencies in the application of Gender-Based
Analysis Plus (GBA+).
Recommendation 2
That the Government of Canada, through Status of Women Canada and
in consultation with federal departments, the central agencies and civil
society, promote the implementation of a Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)
framework focused on “intersectionality” whereby individuals are understood as
being shaped by an interaction of different identity factors, including but not
limited to gender, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, indigeneity,
class, sexuality, geography, age, mental or physical disability and migration
status.
Recommendation 3
That the Government of Canada introduce legislation by June 2017
that will create the Office of the Commissioner for Gender Equality, based on
the model of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages; that this
legislation establish the Commissioner for Gender Equality as an Agent of
Parliament and set out clearly the powers and responsibilities of the Office of
the Commissioner for Gender Equality; and that the Commissioner for Gender
Equality be provided with all necessary resources to fulfil his or her mandate.
The Committee was informed that training courses and resources,
awareness raising initiatives, and educational programs are required to teach
public servants how to implement GBA+ and evaluate its success.[77] Evidence shows that with a lack of knowledge, skills and confidence, many civil
servants are reticent to incorporate GBA+.[78]
The Committee learned that at the federal level, GBA+ training and
education
is provided inconsistently – or not at all – across federal departments and
agencies.
SWC takes the lead in providing GBA+ training to all civil servants and
promoting it as a basic competency for all federal officials, while many
federal departments and agencies provide their own training, materials and
resources.
SWC provides an online GBA+ training course entitled Introduction
to GBA+ (hereafter SWC’s online GBA+ training course).[79] According to SWC, since
2012, over 6,000 federal employees from over 50 departments and agencies have
completed SWC’s online GBA+ training course.[80] All Committee members made a commitment to completing the
online GBA+ training course by the end of April 2016. The Committee
subsequently presented a report to the House of Commons on 6 May 2016 stating:
The Committee
challenges all Members of Parliament to complete the online course
“Introduction to Gender-based Analysis Plus” (GBA+) from Status of Women Canada
as soon as possible, preferably before the House rises for the summer break
this coming June.[81]
The Committee heard that GBA+ training should be provided in some
consistent manner across all federal organizations and that SWC should have
oversight over that training.[82] Ms. Hankivsky, of Simon Fraser University, explained:
There's a plethora of guides, handbooks, tools. No
coordination. No consistency. We need examples, of course, for each of
those different contexts, but there needs to be some consistency across the
board.[83]
While most witnesses agreed on the need for consistency, a number
of witnesses stated that each department and agency should have some level of
specialized training, geared to their unique mandate.[84] SWC told the Committee
that it had learned that GBA+ training
is “most effective when tailored to specific audiences and when developed and
delivered in partnership with experts from the sector.”[85]
According to Carine
Joly, Advisor at the Institute
for the Equality of Women and Men in Belgium, general training on gender
mainstreaming was not sufficient, and
as such, the Institute developed specific training modules adapted to the
different departments with concrete examples.[86]
There were a number of examples provided by witnesses of
specialized training courses and resources at the federal level in Canada. The Committee learned that the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has developed interactive online training
modules “to promote competency among the researchers as well as the peer
reviewers – or the people who evaluate and decide if people get funded – on
whether sex and gender is appropriately integrated into the research study.”[87] The Department of Industry commissioned a GBA+ case
study on clean technology and hosted a GBA+ training course for economic,
science and research-based departments; over 70 officials from nine departments
and agencies participated in February 2016.[88] At
the Department of Public Works and Government Services, officials developed a
one-day, specially adapted GBA course.[89] Lastly, the Department of Finance designed
finance-specific tools to perform GBA on all budget proposals.[90]
The Committee recognized the awareness-raising education value of the
fifth annual GBA+ Awareness Week, led by SWC and held from 16 to 20 May in
2016.
The annual week-long event is one method used by SWC to make departments and
agencies mindful of the federal government’s commitment to GBA+ and of the
value in applying GBA+ to policies, programs and legislation.[91]
The Committee learned of SWC’s evolving efforts to improve GBA+
training, as outlined in the new Action
Plan on Gender-based Analysis for 2016–2020. Ms. Charlton,
of SWC, said that because the agency is small, it partners with other
government organizations that have adult leaning specialists, in particular the Centre for Intercultural
Learning (CIL) at Global Affairs Canada. In delivering advanced GBA+ training,
SWC
told the Committee that they are hoping for a “cluster approach” whereby departments
or agencies that “have similar business lines can come together and hire CIL,
using
our resources under the memorandum of understanding, to do more in-depth
training. We've had some good uptake on that.”[92]
In addition, SWC will be
enhancing and expanding GBA+ training, as a component of its new Action
Plan on Gender-based Analysis for 2016–2020, which includes “developing new in-depth training for different
sectors – for example, in science and technology or in the security sector” and
“updating and modernizing our online tools and resources, including our GBA
training course.”[93] Furthermore, SWC will increase the
accessibility of GBA+ tools and resources by revising and re-launching the GBA+
GCpedia web page, which is an online collaboration forum.[94]
Witnesses reminded the Committee that GBA+ is a complex analytical
process, and that departments and agencies will have to invest continued time
and effort – beyond a two-day course or three-hour module – for civil servants
to understand and apply the concept.[95] There
was acknowledgement that civil servants will not all reach an ideal level of
expertise, and for this reason, it is necessary to regularize collaboration
with GBA+ experts situated within that organizational context.[96]
The Committee heard that the
quality and effectiveness of training courses and tools should be monitored and
evaluated.[97] Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, Scientific Director of the
Institute of Gender and Health at CIHR, said that CIHR conducts a test
pre-training and a test post-training to assess whether knowledge levels have
improved.[98] The TBS refreshes training with TBS program analysts
annually, adding new case studies, highlighting good practices, and providing
improved ideas of how to assess gender issues.[99]
There was debate on the merits
of making GBA+ training mandatory among
civil servants. A Health Canada representative said that training is not
mandatory,
but strongly encouraged “through blitzes with prize incentives.”[100] The Department of Natural Resources encourages
staff to take the SWC’s online GBA+ training course.[101]
At Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Canada, senior management decided against making SWC’s online GBA+ training
course mandatory for all staff because of resource
and time constraints.[102]
The Committee heard that some federal organizations had already taken
steps to make GBA+ training mandatory. For example, following the OAG’s 2015
Fall Report 1, the PCO stated that it will make SWC’s online GBA+ training
course mandatory for PCO analysts who are responsible for performing a
challenge function and providing advice on policies, programs and legislation.[103] At the Department of
Industry, as of March 2016, it is mandatory
for all employees to complete SWC’s online GBA+ training course, and as of May
2016, 90% of all employees and executives, a total of 3,800 employees, had
taken the online course. Furthermore, all new employees are required to
complete GBA+ training within six months of their arrival at the Department.[104] As part of the Foreign Service Development Program at Global Affairs
Canada, there is a mandatory GBA course.[105]
Witnesses spoke of efforts to develop GBA+ education outside the
public service – for example, in university and college settings or public
policy schools.[106] The Committee heard that SWC is working with the Canada School of Public
Service to make SWC’s online GBA+ training course a part of the core curriculum
for policy analysts.[107]
The Feminist Northern Network, in its brief to the Committee,
recommended that SWC develop community-oriented GBA+ tools geared for use by
community leaders, enabling them to monitor the impact of government
initiatives on their communities.[108]
Recommendation 4
That the Government of Canada, through Status of Women Canada,
develop awareness-raising initiatives targeted to the general public and to all
levels of government, including provinces, territories and municipalities, with
the goal of sharing the positive outcomes of
the implementation of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) at the federal level.
Recommendation 5
That the Government of Canada, through Status of Women Canada,
collaborate with the Canada School of Public Service and public policy programs
of post-secondary institutions to incorporate Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)
training in their regular curricula.
Recommendation 6
That Status of Women Canada evaluate its Gender-Based Analysis Plus
(GBA+) online training course on an annual basis, with the goal of updating
examples, incorporating greater diversity and improving effectiveness of policy
outcomes.
Recommendation 7
That the Government of Canada make it mandatory for all employees
of federal departments and agencies, the House of Commons, Senate and Library
of Parliament who have research, policy, program, or customer service
responsibilities, as determined by the respective senior management, to
complete Status of Women Canada’s Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) online
training course, entitled Introduction to GBA+; and that upon the
creation of the proposed Office of the Commissioner for Gender Equality, the
Commissioner for Gender Equality receive annual reporting by each organization on
compliance with this requirement.
Recommendation 8
That the Parliament of Canada strongly recommend that all parliamentarians
and parliamentary staff take Status of Women Canada’s Gender-Based Analysis
Plus (GBA+) online training course, entitled Introduction to GBA+ within
six months of commencing
their duties.
Recommendation 9
That Status of Women Canada continue to play a leadership and
coordinator role in developing and providing consistent Gender-Based Analysis
Plus (GBA+) training programs and resources to all federal departments and
agencies; and that Status of Women Canada continue to collaborate with groups
of departments and agencies with similar mandates to develop specific training
programs and resources that respond to the responsibilities of those groups of departments
and agencies.
Recommendation 10
That the Government of Canada provide Status of Women Canada with
the necessary additional financial and human resources required to develop and
provide consistent Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) training programs and
resources, as well as training programs and resources that respond to the
mandate and responsibilities of individual federal departments and agencies.
The Committee recognizes that leadership from all levels – the
federal government, PCO, TBS, SWC, public service senior management and employees,
and parliamentarians – is crucial to promoting the implementation of GBA+ at
the federal level.
Firstly, for GBA+ to be successful, it must exist within a
“supportive political environment” whereby political leaders become champions
who promote the implementation of GBA+.[109] Rosalind Cavaghan, Post-Doctoral Fellow at Radboud University, reminded the
Committee of “how incredibly important political will is” to the implementation
of GBA+, and suggested that because of the current political climate, “Canada
could become a leader [in GBA+] again.”[110] The Committee learned that the federal government has taken positive steps to
promote GBA+ by establishing a gender balanced cabinet and including the
implementation of GBA+ in the Minister for the Status of Women’s mandate letter
in November 2015.[111]
Furthermore, parliamentarians can play a role in supporting the
implementation of GBA+. In recognition of this role, the Committee
members have issued a challenge to
their parliamentary colleagues to complete the SWC’s online GBA+
training course. SWC also encouraged
all parliamentarians to take the course and to “raise gender issues in the work
that they are doing.”[112]
In the federal public service,
as described previously, SWC is the agency that takes the leadership role in
promoting GBA+ throughout government. The Committee learned that as a component
of the new Action Plan on Gender-based Analysis for 2016–2020, SWC will be expanding
its leadership role by providing “gender advice on some key government
initiatives through what we're calling strategic interventions.”[113] The central agencies play a challenge function
to ensure that federal departments and agencies consider all relevant GBA+
factors of their proposed policy, legislative, and program initiatives.
The Committee heard that leadership from SWC and the central
agencies in the promotion of GBA+ is just as important as leadership within
departments and agencies. The Committee heard that senior management should
actively encourage the application of GBA+ by presenting staff with “a clear
statement” on the requirement of GBA+, including a strategic vision,
operational processes, and impact assessment and evaluation procedures.[114] Sustained and committed
leadership by senior management[115] can uphold the concept that conducting “GBA+ is an integral part of a good
policy-making process,”
as stated by Neil Bouwer, Assistant Deputy Minister at the Department of
Natural Resources.[116] Senior management should review and challenge the quality of GBA+ with the goal
of strengthening this portion of employees’ analysis.[117]
Ms. Charlton, of SWC, elaborated on the importance of
leadership:
We know that leadership is that critical piece.
When we look at the departments that have been successful in implementing GBA,
it’s because it came from the top and was taken seriously from the top. It was
seen not as something that they were doing because they were told, but because
they understood the intrinsic value of doing this type of analysis and were
able to translate that to the people who work for them.[118]
Witnesses shared several examples of the leadership provided by
senior management in the public service. The Committee learned that at the
Department of Finance, GBA+ commitments are integrated into the performance
management agreements for all senior management executives.[119] At the Department of
Justice,
a senior-level policy committee – composed of assistant deputy ministers –
developed
and adopted a checklist of common policy considerations, including GBA+.[120] Within Indigenous and
Northern Affairs Canada, the GBA assessment is approved at the assistant deputy
minister level and then must meet the approval of the deputy minister before
proceeding to the departmental policy committee.[121]
At the Department of National Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff
issued a directive to staff of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to fully
integrate both GBA+ and the requirements of Canada’s National Action Plan on
the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325
on women in armed conflict and related resolutions into CAF planning and
operations by August 2017 and into the wider CAF institution by March 2019.
Furthermore, the directive established a team of Gender Advisors for the Chief
of Defence Staff, a Gender Advisor for Commander Canadian
Joint Operations Command and a Gender Advisor for Commander Canadian Special
Operations Forces Command.[122]
The Committee also heard that
leadership among employees – often referred to as GBA+ Champions – is also
critical to the promotion of GBA+. While the role may vary depending on the
federal organization, the GBA+ Champions are civil servants who are responsible
for promoting awareness of GBA+, supporting training and GBA+ activities, and
communicating the importance of GBA+ within the organization.[123] The GBA+ Champion is an expert in GBA+ in a
department or agency and provides other employees with guidance and assistance
in implementing GBA+.[124] The Committee learned that GBA+ Champions have
begun meeting regularly, as convened by SWC, as part of a departmental working
group of GBA+ Champions, composed of approximately 35 members.[125]
A number of officials from departments and agencies told the Committee
that
they have GBA+ Champions. For example, Indigenous
and Northern Affairs Canada noted that it has a team of 37 GBA representatives,
also known as GBARs, across the department.[126] At the international level, the Committee learned that the Ministry for Women
of New Zealand has a formal program that establishes gender mainstreaming
champions throughout departments.[127]
The Committee was interested in options for new forms of leadership
to promote GBA+ in Canada. Witnesses discussed the potential establishment of
an Ombudsperson or an Agent of Parliament who would have the mandate to support
and enforce the implementation of GBA+ in federal departments and agencies.[128] In addition, the
Committee examined the Belgium model, where the Institute for the Equality of
Women and Men is responsible for GBA+, as established by law.[129]
Recommendation 11
That the Government of Canada require all federal departments and
agencies to immediately designate an assistant or associate deputy minister
with the responsibility for promoting Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) within
their organization, and appoint a separate employee as the GBA+ Champion for the
organization.
Recommendation 12
That the Government of Canada hold senior federal government
officials, namely Deputy Ministers, Assistant Deputy Ministers and Directors
General, accountable for the implementation of Gender-Based Analysis Plus
(GBA+) in their departments and agencies by including the implementation of
GBA+ as a measure in the officials’ annual performance assessments.
Recommendation 13
That the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Privy Council Office, and
the Department of Finance review their challenge function in order to
strengthen the application, both early on and throughout the policy development
process, of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) by federal departments and
agencies; that the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the Privy Council
Office, and the Department of Finance each produce annual reports on the challenge
function they play in promoting the application of GBA+; and that upon the
creation of the proposed Office of the Commissioner for Gender Equality, the
Commissioner for Gender Equality receive these reports.
Recommendation 14
That the Government of Canada, following consultation with federal departments
and agencies, as well as civil society, introduce legislation by June 2017 that
sets out obligations of federal departments and agencies with regard to the
implementation of Gender-Based Analysis (GBA+).
As noted earlier in the report, according to SWC, there are six
elements necessary for implementing and sustaining a GBA+ Framework; these
include “a statement of intent or policy; a responsibility centre to monitor
the implementation of the GBA+ Framework and the practice of [GBA+]; training
for senior officials, analysts, and other appropriate staff; guides, manuals,
and other appropriate tools; annual self-assessment on implementation of the
GBA+ Framework; and reporting on progress in external departmental reports,
such as departmental performance reports.”[130] Witnesses indicated that most federal organizations had not implemented these
six elements, including some of those departments and agencies who had signed
on to the 2009 Departmental Action Plan on Gender-Based Analysis.
The Committee also heard that a significant challenge to the
implementation of GBA+ is that, notwithstanding SWC’s leadership, each
department and agency is responsible for applying GBA+. As a result, GBA+ is
implemented unevenly and without a consistent framework, which damages the
quality and dependability of the analysis. For example, the OAG’s 2015
Fall Report 1 audited the implementation of gender-based analysis in
four federal departments: Employment and Social Development Canada, Indigenous
and Northern Affairs Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and
Natural Resources Canada.[131] Sixteen initiatives – which included government strategies, new legislation,
new or renewed programs, purchase of equipment, and funding – from each
department were examined with respect to the implementation of GBA. Results
indicated that eight of 16 programs had undergone a complete gender-based
analysis, while three had some analysis performed.
The Committee also heard from the central agencies that they
receive GBA+ information in “different formats, styles, and depths” from each
federal organization, which in turn makes it challenging to incorporate that
information into the central agencies own work and advice in a meaningful
manner.[132]
The Office of the Auditor General, in the OAG’s 2015 Fall Report 1,
recommended to SWC, PCO and TBS that they identify the barriers to the implementation
of GBA+ in departments and agencies and develop measures to address them. The
Committee learned that SWC has not systematically reached out to departments to
discuss internal barriers they may encounter, but that this is a component of
the SWC, PCO and TBS’ new Action Plan on Gender-based Analysis for 2016–2020.[133]
Witness testimony highlighted four key elements to implementation:
practical considerations, resources and incentives, a workplace culture that
supports GBA+, and data and research – all explained in greater detail below.
Witnesses reminded the Committee that GBA+ should be implemented at
the earliest stages of the development of policies, programs and legislation,
accompanied by robust data and information. When GBA+ is incorporated early,
this analysis is more
likely to be applied throughout the development of the initiative, whereas when
GBA+
is conducted at the very end of the development process, it is likely to be
hurried and superficial.[134]
A number of departments and agencies spoke of tools that assist
them in the implementation of GBA+, such as questionnaires and checklists.[135] François Daigle, Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet at the PCO, told the
Committee that the PCO is encouraging departments to incorporate GBA+ in
proposals to the PCO through the development of a policy considerations’
checklist, which includes a mandatory GBA section.[136] Mr. Bouwer, at the Department of Natural Resources, provided the
Committee with a copy of their detailed assessment template “which asks policy
authors questions such as: who are the target clients for the proposal; are all
target clients able to participate equally in the proposed initiative, or are
there barriers; would the proposal result in differential impacts based on
gender or diversity; and if differential access or impacts have been
identified, how can these be mitigated?”[137] The
Committee heard that Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada has a detailed GBA
questionnaire with a wide range of questions, including one on whether relevant
meetings are set at times that accommodate individuals’ work hours and child
care arrangements.[138]
The Committee also heard that while leadership is critical for the
implementation of GBA+, it is important that the responsibility for GBA+ is not
restricted to those leaders, such as GBA+ Champions; rather, the responsibility
for GBA+ should be mainstreamed with GBA+ Champions serving a complementary
role.[139] An effective way to build capacity for GBA+ among all employees is through the
establishment of a GBA+ unit – also called a centre of expertise. These units,
located in departments and agencies, have a central role in providing GBA+
tools and resources, promoting understanding among civil servants of how to
effectively integrate GBA+ into policies, programs and legislation, and
highlighting the obligations for GBA+ reporting when submitting to TBS and PCO.[140] Witnesses said that a key
part of the GBA+ unit is an online collaborative centre, for staff to access
training, tools, studies, data and information.[141]
Witnesses also identified practical barriers to implementation,
such as the short development or implementation schedules for initiatives,
which do not provide sufficient time for public servants to conduct complete or
high-quality GBA+.[142] Renée LaFontaine, Assistant Secretary at the TBS, told the Committee that:
Many new policies, programs, and initiatives
considered by the Treasury Board are very time sensitive, and we often need to
address them immediately to meet specific government commitments and timelines.
If the sponsoring department in that case discovers a gender issue, there may
not be time to do a full analysis, especially if
they don't maintain that ongoing gender-disaggregated data about the
performance of their programs.[143]
The Office of the Auditor General remarked that in some cases, GBA+
was conducted after the policy decision was made because timeframes did not
allow it to be completed in advance.[144]
Some witnesses noted that SWC is under-resourced
and lacks the authority to effectively promote the implementation of GBA+ and
address the barriers across the federal government. Certain witnesses
suggested that SWC requires additional financial and human resources to fulfil
its responsibility with regards to GBA+.[145] According to a brief submitted by Hien Pham Thu at the Centre
for Women in Politics and Public Administration, Ho Chi Minh National Academy
of Politics, there is specific legislation at the national level in Vietnam
which requires that the financial amounts allocated to gender equality programs
in each ministry and agency of the government are reported in relation to the
annual budget each year.[146]
The Committee heard of the importance of incentivizing
implementation of GBA+ in departments and agencies by offering very clear
rewards and penalties.[147] Ms. Cavaghan, of Radboud University in the Netherlands, explained that in the
European Commission's Directorate General for Research, the sub-departments
collect statistics on the implementation of gender mainstreaming and gender
action plans in a database, and compare the implementation rates of
sub-departments; this practice incentivized staff to implement GBA+ through
friendly competition.[148]
Witnesses explained that in many departments and agencies, there
are efforts to instil a culture that encourages the use of GBA+; this culture
is not widespread despite the federal government’s commitment to the policy
over 20 years ago.[149] As mentioned in the previous section on leadership, workplace culture with
respect to GBA+ depends significantly on leadership from the political and
senior management levels – these leaders can actively promote GBA+ within
federal organizations.[150]
The Committee heard that civil servants need to see the
implementation of GBA+ as part of their regular job, an element of a thorough
analysis and a good habit – rather than a time-consuming and useless
obligation.[151] Gail
Mitchell, Director General at the Department of Employment and Social
Development, explained:
In the same way we expect people to have basic
math skills and writing skills, this is one more analytical tool we should be
expecting and we should be training people to be able to do. Once you have that
embedded throughout your organization, it becomes second nature. People are
asking the questions, and it’s part of how they approach an issue.[152]
At Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Committee learned
that the legislative requirement to perform GBA+ had influenced the culture of
the organization so that the incorporation of GBA+ is a regular habit.[153]
Dorienne Rowan-Campbell, former member of the
federal government’s Expert Panel on Accountability Mechanisms for
Gender Equality, suggested putting the practicing of GBA+ in job descriptions
for policy analysts, as it should be an essential aspect of the job.[154] Ms. Cavaghan, of Radboud
University in the Netherlands, said: “if you're involved in gender mainstreaming,
you have to make sure that it's high-status, that it's actually going to get
you somewhere, and that it's going to be recognized as a positive….”[155]
In many cases, this culture may not have developed because civil
servants believe that gender and other identity factors are not relevant in
certain public policy situations. A lack of comprehension of the relevance
of GBA+, often due to ineffective training or a lack of training altogether
means that GBA+ can become an “empty policy.”[156] Alfred MacLeod,
Assistant Deputy Minister at the Department of Public Works and Government
Services, provided an example:
When I go out to do GBA training, the intuitive
element is obvious. The second or third question I get is, “I'm not saying I
don't get what you're trying to do, I just don't get what it means for me. I
design office space. What does that have to do with gender-based analysis?”[157]
Witnesses shared that the availability of relevant, reliable and
complete data disaggregated by gender and other identity factors, as well as
complementary analytical research, are crucial to performing GBA+.
With regard to the provision of data, the Committee heard that
Statistics Canada plays a critical supporting role in the federal implementation
of GBA+. Statistics Canada is the federal agency responsible for producing
statistics on “Canada’s economic and social structure,” which includes
conducting the federal Census and administering around 350 active surveys
on different aspects of Canadian life. It is “legislated to serve this function
for the whole of Canada and each of the provinces and territories.”[158]
Departments and agencies spoke of their collaborative relationship
with Statistics Canada in receiving data necessary for GBA+. For example,
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has memorandums of understanding
with Statistics Canada with respect to the collection and use of data.[159]
François Nault, Director at Statistics Canada, explained that “for
many years our agency has systematically considered gender and diversity when
developing data and analytical products.”[160] The agency provides sex-disaggregated data tables – whereby data is broken down
by sex – online free-of-charge, on themes such as labour, families, income, and
Indigenous peoples; this includes its socio-economic database, CANSIM.[161] In addition, the agency
produces analytical products. Statistics Canada regularly produces a
publication entitled Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report,
which “provides an unparalleled compilation of data related to women’s family
status, education, employment, economic well-being, unpaid work, health, and
more.”[162]
Officials from several departments spoke of the
usefulness of this publication.[163] Statistics Canada also stated that if a federal organization
has a specific data need, they can respond to the request by conducting
cost-recovery research or producing custom tables.[164]
The Committee also heard that some departments collect their own
data and conduct their own research that serves to inform GBA+.[165] Stan Lipinski, Director
General at the Department of Justice, told the Committee that the department
has:
A fairly active research and statistics division,
which plays a key role in supporting the department's GBA information and
analysis needs through the development of various reports that contain
gender-based analysis and as a centre of expertise in providing and designing
gender-disaggregated data to help inform the development and design of
Justice's programs and policies.[166]
Departments also indicated they use data for GBA+ from other
federal organizations.[167] Some
federal departments use data and research provided by not-for-profit or
think-tank organizations, and sometimes commission reports on key topics from
these organizations.[168]
However, despite these resources, a number of federal organizations
told the Committee that a barrier to performing GBA+ was a shortage or
inability to find relevant, reliable and complete data disaggregated by gender
and other identity factors.[169] Richard Botham, Assistant Deputy Minister at the Department of Finance,
said: “Many departments and agencies also share our concern regarding data, and
we understand that we are going to be exploring collectively how data
collection can be improved and better accessed.”[170] The Committee heard that
gender-disaggregated data was still unavailable in key sectors, for example, in
“clean technology, automotive, aerospace, information and communication
technologies, pharmaceuticals, and tourism.”[171]
At the international level, the Committee heard that the Institute
for the Equality of Women and Men in Belgium conducted an inventory in 2013 of
all statistics disaggregated by gender and available to the Belgian federal
government.[172]
Recommendation 15
That the Government of Canada, in consultation with Status of Women
Canada, set a deadline of June 2017 by which it will be mandatory for federal
departments and agencies to implement the following:
- a responsibility centre to monitor the implementation of the Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)
Framework and the practice of gender-based analysis;
- training for senior officials, analysts, and other appropriate
staff;
- guides, manuals and other appropriate tools;
- annual self-assessment on implementation of the
GBA+ Framework;
- reporting on progress in external departmental
reports, such as Departmental Performance Reports;
That upon the creation of the proposed Office of the Commissioner
for Gender Equality, the Commissioner for Gender Equality receive annual reporting
by each organization on compliance.
Recommendation 16
That Status of Women Canada invite Statistics Canada to the regular
meetings of the network of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) Champions with the
goal of sharing available data; and that Status of Women Canada collaborate
with Statistics Canada to design GBA+ training sessions, for groups of departments
and agencies with similar mandates, on locating gender-disaggregated data in
their specific subject areas.
Recommendation 17
That the Government of Canada introduce legislation, by or before
June 2017, which legislates that:
- Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) is applied to all proposals
before they arrive at Cabinet for decision-making;
- GBA+ is a mandatory portion of Privy Council Office, Treasury Board of Canada
Secretariat and Department of Finance
submissions for all departments and agencies;
- The Privy Council
Office and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat are mandated to return policies
and programs that do not demonstrate the application of GBA+.
Witnesses spoke of the need to establish accountability and
evaluation mechanisms to provide some level of enforcement and oversight on the
implementation of GBA+ in federal organizations.[173] The Committee learned
that while SWC holds a leadership role in promoting GBA+, the federal
government has not made it mandatory for federal departments and agencies to
conduct GBA+ and has not given authority to SWC to enforce its application.[174] The Committee heard that SWC
needs more authority and resources to develop accountability mechanisms to
oversee the implementation of GBA+ at some basic level.[175]
With regards to the role of the central agencies, the Committee
learned that PCO, TBS and the Department of Finance can return Memorandums to
Cabinet, Treasury Board Submissions and budget proposals to the department or
agency if there is no evidence of the application of GBA+, but that it is
unclear how often this is enforced.[176] The importance of accountability mechanisms was highlighted by Ms. Hankivsky, of
Simon Fraser University, who asked the Committee: “if there are no consequences
for not doing it,
why do it?”[177]
The Committee was informed of the different options for making GBA+
mandatory: through legislative or policy means, across the federal government
or in only some departments and agencies, and applying to GBA+ training or
implementation or both.[178]
On the subject of making GBA+ implementation mandatory at the
federal level
in Canada, a number of witnesses suggested that it should be mandatory for
federal organizations.[179] Mitch Davies, Assistant Deputy Minister at the Department of Industry, said:
We do a lot of other things that are mandatory. We
make sure we do a security check. We make sure they have the language profile.
We do a lot of other musts, and this has now also become a must.[180]
The Feminist Northern Network, in its brief,
provided a specific example where GBA+ should be mandatory; they recommend that
GBA+ be a mandatory component of the analysis performed by the Canadian
Environmental Assessment Agency.[181]
Fraser Valentine, Director General at Immigration, Refugees and
Citizenship Canada, the only federal department where GBA+ is mandatory by law,
highlighted the two central impacts of the department’s legislative framework:
firstly, it requires that GBA+ of government initiatives be included in an
annual report to Parliament and secondly, it
has influenced the application of GBA+ throughout the Department, creating a
culture that widely understands and implements GBA+.[182]
The Committee was informed that if GBA+ were to become mandatory,
it would first require the investment of additional resources and support
systems.[183] In its brief, the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men in Belgium
reminded the Committee that legislation is not enough on its own to enforce the
implementation of GBA+; it must be accompanied by leadership at the political
and civil service level, training and a supporting framework.[184] Mr. Valentine explained
that: “Legislation in itself is probably not the panacea or sufficient. It's
one important tool.”[185]
Ms. Akman of SWC explained:
Even if it becomes mandatory, that would not be
enough. You definitely still need the leadership, the
monitoring and reporting, the analysis of barriers, the checking back in, the
improving of the situation, and really the dedication to doing that kind of
analysis.[186]
Witnesses stated that the implementation of GBA+ should be a
mandatory portion of TBS, PCO, and Department of Finance submissions for all
departments and agencies. Ms. Hanson, of
the University of Regina, recommended that TBS and PCO should be mandated to
reject policies or programs that do not demonstrate the application of GBA+.[187]
The Committee was interested by international examples of mandatory
requirements for gender mainstreaming at the national level. In a brief
submitted by
Ms. Thu, of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, the Committee learned
that Vietnam has several pieces of legislation that require gender
mainstreaming in the formulation of “legal documents and policies.” In
addition, the Vietnamese National Assembly Committee on Social Affairs is
responsible for monitoring that gender mainstreaming is complete before draft
laws, ordinances and resolutions can be submitted to the National Assembly.[188]
In Belgium, Ms. Joly, of the Institute for the Equality of
Women and Men, told the Committee that gender mainstreaming is legislated as
mandatory at the federal level, and that this gives the Institute additional
authority in the implementation of gender mainstreaming.[189] However, the Committee was told that the Institute
for the Equality of Women and Men had not gathered enough feedback as of
yet to measure the impact of mandatory gender mainstreaming on public policy.[190]
Recommendation 18
That the Treasury Board Secretariat develop a policy requiring
departments and agencies to report on the current progress and anticipated
efforts in implementing Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) in a designated
section of the Departmental Performance Reports and the Reports on Plans and
Priorities; that the section on GBA+ contain evidence-based outcomes generated
by the application of GBA+; and that upon the creation of the proposed Office
of the Commissioner for Gender Equality, the Commissioner for Gender Equality
receive these sections and produce a summary report available to the public and
outlining progress in the implementation of GBA+ across the federal government.
The Committee learned that establishing evaluation mechanisms to
measure the outcomes of GBA+ in departments and agencies can be a part of an
oversight framework and can provide evidence on the benefits of the
implementation of GBA+ within the federal government.
At the federal level, the Committee heard that there is inadequate
monitoring and evaluation of the implementation and outcomes of GBA+. Ms. Hankivsky
of Simon Fraser University reminded the Committee that departments and agencies
have to start asking key questions: “What is actually the desired goal and
outcome[?] How will we know if
GBA has been successfully and fully integrated? What would that actually look
like?”[191] Ms. Rowan-Campbell, former member of the federal government’s Expert Panel
on Accountability Mechanisms for Gender Equality, recommended that an annual
update on the progress of the implementation of GBA+ should be included in the
Speech from the Throne by the Government of Canada.[192]
The Committee was told that, as part of the new Action Plan on
Gender-based Analysis for 2016–2020, SWC, PCO and TBS would develop an
evaluation strategy to systematically measure and report on the outcomes of
GBA+.[193] Ms. Akman of SWC told the Committee:
Actions to support
this will include the surveying of deputies on an annual basis, as I mentioned
earlier, to collect information on GBA implementation. We'll be working with
other government departments and agencies to explore the development of gender
equality indicators in key areas, so we can better track progress. We'll be
establishing a more formal evaluation structure for the GBA function across
government, and we'll also identify ways to periodically report out on the
implementation across government, including lessons learned, sharing of best
practices, and strategic directions moving forward.
Improving our ability to report progress on the
application of GBA will allow us to demonstrate to Canadians how it has
enhanced the policies, programs, and services they've received.[194]
Furthermore, Ms. Akman told the Committee that empowering GBA+
experts and Champions within departments and agencies to monitor the
implementation of GBA+ could be an effective strategy.[195]
However, departments and agencies do not regularly monitor how
their employees are conducting GBA+, and SWC does not keep track of this
information either. As a result, the Committee received only snapshots of data
on the outcomes of GBA+ at the federal level. For example, the Department of
Finance shared with the Committee that in the past 12 months, the
department had completed more than 250 GBA+.[196] The Department of Natural Resources had conducted GBA+ assessments on 42
proposals over the past year, with 10 proposals being identified as having
“differential gender-based or diversity-based access or impacts that required additional analysis and consideration of
changes to the proposal’s parameters and mitigation measures.”[197]
The Committee
learned that improved monitoring and reporting on the progress
of GBA+ and its outcomes will provide examples that will demonstrate to
Canadians the value of applying GBA+.[198] For this reason, Ms. Hanson of the University of Regina recommended that
additional resources be invested in evaluations of the effectiveness of GBA+.[199]
Witnesses said that collaboration among SWC, the central agencies,
other federal departments and agencies, as well as provincial and territorial
counterparts, civil society, and the academic and research community, is
critical to sharing best practices and to building the sustainable
implementation of GBA+.[200] Ms. Hankivsky
of Simon Fraser University told the Committee that successful GBA+ is a “three-legged
stool”, that requires support from the government, from civil society, and from
the research community.[201]
The Committee learned about the role of SWC in
promoting collaboration on the GBA+ file. While SWC does not actively promote
the GBA+ online training across the country, the course has been accessed by
many civil service organizations, universities, and provinces.[202] In response
to the OAG’s 2015 Fall Report 1, SWC said it will continue to build and
strengthen the Interdepartmental Committee on GBA+ as a main forum of
information sharing.[203]
The Committee heard that
in Belgium, legislation mandates the establishment of an Interdepartmental
coordination group, composed of: “members of strategic units, who are advisors
to ministers and officials from the various administrations,” and led by a
member of the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men.[204]
Between departments and agencies, the Committee heard that
interdepartmental working groups on GBA+ – at both the senior management and
the working level – ensure the sharing of best practices, challenges, and
strategies for GBA+ implementation.[205]
In particular, the interdepartmental working group of GBA+ Champions, composed
of approximately 35 members, meets regularly as convened by SWC.[206] Online sharing tools, such as
SWC’s GCpedia site, can promote collaboration. Collaboration among employees of
a federal organization is also essential to the implementation of GBA+; this
includes intradepartmental working groups on GBA+ or communities of practice.[207]
Witnesses reminded the Committee that departments and agencies
should actively seek assistance from academics that are experts in certain
policy areas and have valuable information and data at their fingertips.[208] For example, Dr.
Tannenbaum, of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, told the Committee
that CIHR researchers would be eager to collaborate with federal organizations
and share their relevant research findings.[209]
The Committee also heard that putting forward policy challenges to students in
public policy schools could be both an efficient and cost-effective way to
collaborate with the academic community.[210]
Witnesses spoke of the importance of collaboration between civil
society (in particular women’s organizations) and federal departments and
agencies. The Committee heard that organizations that represent marginalized or
disenfranchised populations can provide valuable expertise to advance GBA+.[211] In addition, the
Committee learned that it is important for federal organizations to consult
with civil society before, during and
after the development and implementation of policies, programs and legislation
with the goal of gaining knowledge and receiving feedback.[212] For example, Indigenous
and Northern Affairs Canada regularly
liaises with the Assembly of First Nations Women's Secretariat and the Native
Women's Association of Canada.[213] The Committee learned that
the Department of Finance, during pre-budget consultations, composes a full and
representative list of stakeholders to consult and provides an open
consultation for Canadians to provide input.[214] Ms. Hanson of the University of Regina encouraged the Committee and SWC to
engage with women’s organizations in meaningful, new ways.[215]
A number of witnesses suggested that the federal
government should increase the capacity of civil society and academics to
collaborate by reinstating SWC’s funding for research.[216] The Committee learned that the
not-for-profit sector has benefited from applying GBA+ frameworks to its own
work; an example is sexual assault centres that have developed programs for
both men and women, refugees and immigrants, Indigenous peoples, lesbian, gay
and transgender individuals, individuals with disabilities, and youth.[217]
The Committee heard that the federal government should establish
federal/
provincial/territorial coordination committees on GBA+.[218] Ms. Hanson
recommended that the federal government provide support and resources to
provinces and communities to implement GBA+ as part of community development.[219] Finally, the Committee
heard that an effective strategy to promote collaboration among sectors would
be to establish a national GBA+ conference.[220]
Recommendation 19
That the Government of Canada, through Status of Women Canada, promote
collaboration among federal departments and agencies through the following: by
continuing to convene quarterly meetings of the Interdepartmental Committee on
Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+); and by continuing to convene semi-annual
meetings of the network of GBA+ Champions; and that these meetings be accompanied
by informal information-sharing channels employed throughout the year.
Recommendation 20
That the Government of Canada, through Status of Women Canada, contribute
to existing national and international communities of practice – groups that
engage in a process of collective learning in
a shared domain – to develop a compendium of best practices in
the implementation and enforcement of Gender-Based Analysis
Plus (GBA+).
Recommendation 21
That the Government of Canada restore financial resources to Status
of Women Canada to enable the agency to reinstate funding for grants provided
by the Women’s Program for research and advocacy, and that the first call for
proposals under this funding stream focus on work that can inform the ongoing
development of a Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) framework.
The Committee heard about the positive difference that the
implementation of GBA+ makes to the quality, responsiveness, and effectiveness
of government policies, programs and legislation. According to a brief by the Women’s Xchange Team, applying GBA+ “leads to innovative
programs and effective policy-making.”[221] Witnesses suggested that by sharing these success stories, the Committee can
strengthen the case for GBA+ implementation in all federal departments and
agencies.[222]
- Since December 2010, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research
has applied its Sex and Gender-Based Analysis (SGBA) policy to all applications
for CIHR funding, no matter the discipline, requiring them to consider how sex
and gender are incorporated in their study. Before this policy was introduced,
approximately 10% of CIHR applicants reported that they had accounted for sex
and gender in their research design, and by 2015, this number had increased to
50%.[223]
- In 2013, the
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, funded by the Department of Health Canada,
revised Canada's low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines. By applying GBA+, the
guidelines were changed based on clinical trials to measure consumption amounts
for men, women, teens, and pregnant women.[224]
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada applied a GBA+ analysis to the federal skilled
trades program, and uncovered that many women have breaks in employment and are
more likely to work part-time, which acts as a barrier to their participating
in the program because of the program’s requirement that participants have two
years’ uninterrupted work experience.[225]
- The Indigenous and
Northern Affairs Canada Family Violence Prevention Program, after
conducting GBA+, uncovered a shortage of programming for men and boys, who are
both victims and perpetrators of family violence. As a response to this
analysis, the Family Violence Prevention Program now funds programs specific to
men and boys.[226]
- The Department of Public Works and Government Services conducted
GBA+ on the long-term vision and plan for the Parliamentary Precinct to ensure
that the renovations are “informed by an understanding of how different people,
different genders, have different requirements to modify facilities and open up
accessibility to the Hill.”[227]
- In 2010, the Department of Employment and Social
Development worked collaboratively with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
and the Native Women’s Association of Canada on developing an Indigenous skills
and employment training strategy. After applying GBA+, the program addressed
the participation rates of Indigenous women in key fields
such as oil and gas, shipbuilding and mining, and managed to establish
participation rates of 27%, much higher than the rates in comparable
non-Indigenous female populations.[228]
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada applied GBA+ to a
call for third-party contracts for biometric collection at visa application
centres. Through this approach, it was determined that third-party operators
would have to respect a woman’s request for religious reasons to have her
biometrics collected in a private space and by a same-sex operator.[229]
- At the Department of National Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff
issued a directive to staff of the CAF to fully integrate the requirements of
Canada’s National Action Plan on the Implementation of United Nations Security
Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on women in armed conflict and related
resolutions; the incorporation of UNSCR Resolution 1325 and related resolutions
will serve to highlight how armed conflicts have differential impact on men,
women, girls and boys, and that efforts must be made to address these impacts
in order to enhance conflict prevention and resolution efforts.[230]
In conclusion, the Committee would like to underscore that the
implementation of GBA+ is an evidence-based approach that serves to make
federal government policies, programs and legislation more inclusive,
responsive, effective and successful. The Committee calls on the federal
government to take action to improve the implementation of GBA+ across all departments
and agencies.