Introduction to GBA Plus

The Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada was established in 1967 to investigate and report on all matters pertaining to the status of women in Canada. It was also charged with making specific recommendations for improving the condition of women in areas of federal jurisdiction.

Following public hearings held across Canada, the Commission tabled its report in Parliament in 1970. It contained 167 recommendations on a wide range of issues, including:

• Equal pay for work of equal value;
• Women’s access to managerial positions;
• Part-time work and pensions;
• Maternity leave;
• Day care;
• Educational opportunities;
• Birth control;
• Family law; and
• The Indian Act.

The position of Minister responsible for the Status of Women was created in 1971, predominantly as a response to the Report of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women.

The first United Nations Conference on the Status of Women took place in 1975, coinciding with UN International Women's Year. Delegates from 133 Member States, including Canada, met in Mexico City to develop strategies and plans of action related to the advancement of women.

The Conference adopted a World Plan of Action that offered guidelines to governments and the international community on how to pursue full gender equality, the elimination of gender discrimination and the integration of women in development efforts.

By the end of the next decade (1976-1985), which was proclaimed the United Nations Decade for Women, 127 Member States had established some form of institution to deal with the promotion of policy, research and programs aimed at women's advancement and participation in development.

The position of Coordinator, Status of Women was originally established in the Privy Council Office in response to a recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in 1970.

The Office of the Coordinator became a departmental agency of the federal government on April 1, 1976. The Coordinator is appointed by the government to head the agency for a fixed period of time.

On December 18, 1979, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), also known as the Treaty for the Rights of Women. CEDAW was ratified by Canada on December 10, 1981. As of March 2017, a total of 189 countries had ratified CEDAW.

CEDAW requires state parties to take measures to eliminate discrimination in political, economic and social life. It requires all signatory states to embody the principle of equality between men and women in national legislation, to take appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination based on sex, and to guarantee equal rights to women under the law, including equal access to education and employment.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter), enacted in 1982, is Part I of the Constitution of Canada and guarantees various political and civil rights, including equality rights.

Section 15 of the Charter guarantees every individual the right to equality before and under the law and the right to equal protection and benefit of the law without discrimination on a number of grounds, including: race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age and mental or physical disability.

Section 28 of the Charter confirms that the rights and freedoms of the Charter are guaranteed equally to male and female persons.

The Canadian Human Rights Act ensures that Canadians cannot be discriminated against in the private sphere by institutions or individuals and prohibits discrimination on identified grounds, including race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability, or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted.