Status of Women

The committee studied the 2026-27 main estimates for Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), with appearances by Minister Rechie Valdez, Deputy Minister Frances McRae, and Assistant Deputy Minister Étienne-René Massie.

Minister Valdez opened by expressing devastation over a recent femicide in Gatineau, Quebec, and outlined the $414.6 million in main estimates for WAGE, including $345.6 million in grants and contributions. She highlighted the national action plan to end gender-based violence, Bill C-16 (the protecting victims act) to address femicide and coercive control, and stable ongoing funding for frontline organizations. She noted that the committee's work on coercive control and Bill C-225 (Bailey's law) had informed government policy, and she emphasized prevention, engaging men and boys, and supporting women entrepreneurs through the women entrepreneurship strategy, which has supported over 500,000 women.

Deputy Minister McRae explained that WAGE designs programs through engagement with project partners, with over 800 projects since 2018, and uses gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) across government, noting that the seventh capacity survey showed an 83% response rate. She stated that WAGE does not directly fund shelters but works with organizations on trauma-informed training and best practices, and that the department invests in indigenous-led approaches for missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, with $89 million in funding since 2018. She acknowledged that senior women face poverty and that the department looks forward to the committee's study on that topic, but she deferred questions on tax fairness and housing wait times to other departments.

Assistant Deputy Minister Massie noted that women-led businesses are often smaller and more service-oriented, making them vulnerable to economic shocks, and that the Black entrepreneurship program has provided over 875 loans and supported over 24,000 Black entrepreneurs. He said the department does not collect mandatory demographic data on rural versus urban status to avoid stigmatization, but offered to check for any available data. He also stated that the government has measures through the women entrepreneurship strategy and the Business Development Bank to support women entrepreneurs during tariff-related disruptions.

Conservative members pressed the minister on human trafficking, noting that only two of 22 recommendations from a 2024 committee report have been implemented, and on sentencing for perpetrators, arguing that low sentences fail to deter crime. They also raised concerns about rising homelessness among seniors, the cost of baby formula (up 84% in eight years), and the lack of affordable housing, with wait times of eight to 10 years. Liberal members focused on women in trades, child care, Black entrepreneurship, and supports for newcomers and 2SLGBTQI+ communities, with the minister citing a $15.5-million investment in the Canadian Women's Foundation and a $2-billion training initiative for skilled trades. The Bloc Québécois member asked about long-term funding for women's organizations, noting that temporary project grants are inadequate, and about fiscal imbalance in implementing Bill C-16, as provinces bear justice costs. She also raised concerns about cuts of $8 million annually from 2026-27 to 2028-29 under the government's expenditure review, and the deputy minister confirmed the department is finalizing its approach to achieve those savings.