HOUSE OF COMMONS
CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES
OTTAWA, CANADA
39th Parliament, 1st Session

The Standing Committee on the Status of Women has the honour to present its SECOND REPORT (May 16, 2006)

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee has considered the findings of the Second Report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women presented to the House in the 1st session of the 38th Parliament, entitled “Gender-Based Analysis: Building Blocks for Success”. The Committee agrees with the findings of that report.

In accordance with Standing Order 109, the Committee requests that the Government table a comprehensive response to the following recommendations:

RECOMMENDATION 1

• That the Government of Canada immediately initiate consultations, in time for the 2006-2007 budget, aimed at the development of legislation that would ensure the systematic application of gender-based analysis (GBA) to all federal policy and program activities;
  
  
• That the Privy Council Office (PCO) establish a secretariat with responsibility for ensuring the development and eventual implementation of effective gender equality legislation; and
  
  
• That the PCO secretariat table annually in Parliament a public report outlining progress toward the legislation.

RECOMMENDATION 2

• That Status of Women Canada immediately re-activate the Interdepartmental Committee on Gender-based Analysis to provide a full assessment of existing accountability mechanisms for gender-based analysis;
  
  
• That the Interdepartmental Committee on Gender-based Analysis be expanded to have representation from all government departments;
  
  
• That each department on the Interdepartmental Committee on Gender-based Analysis provide an overview of their particular measures for ensuring accountability on GBA and provide an evaluation of the effectiveness of these measures, and that this information be communicated through each department’s departmental performance report as well as through the departmental performance report of Status of Women Canada;
  
  
• That Status of Women Canada coordinate the production and distribution of information on the state of GBA accountability mechanisms on an annual basis; and
  
  
• That Status of Women Canada be allocated increased funding specifically for the evaluation of GBA accountability measures.

RECOMMENDATION 3

• That Status of Women Canada ensure that equality-seeking organizations are engaged in a thorough consultation on the equality goals for priority action in the 2005-2010 action plan on gender equality;
  
  
• That the outcomes from such consultations be made public; and
  
  
• That a one-time supplementary funding amount be allocated to Status of Women Canada during this fiscal period to make such a consultation possible.

RECOMMENDATION 4

• That the Department of Finance designate one senior official with clear responsibility for implementing a gender-analysis process;
  
  
• That the Department of Finance provide a written report to Parliament annually on the steps taken to implement gender-budgeting; and
  
  
• That the Department of Finance report to Parliament include examples of areas where gender analysis produced specific results and that this report be referred to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women.

RECOMMENDATION 5

• That the Privy Council Office immediately designate one senior official with clear responsibility for initiating and coordinating accountability on GBA;
  
  
• That the Privy Council Office begin the coordinating process immediately;
  
  
• That the Privy Council Office provide a written report to Parliament about any consultations on accountability and about the options within 120 days; and
  
  
• That the options include measures to penalize departments that do not comply.

RECOMMENDATION 6

• That the Privy Council Office immediately establish a committee of deputy ministers responsible for analyzing all memorandum to cabinet and other cabinet documents for gender-based analysis; and
  
  
• That Privy Council Office officials and all deputy ministers, assistant deputy ministers and associate deputy ministers participate in workshops that provide training to assess GBA content.

RECOMMENDATION 7

• That the Treasury Board Secretariat designate a senior official to take responsibility for ensuring that GBA is included in policies, directives, and regulations pertinent to the 2005-2010 action plan on gender equality which is currently being developed by Status of Women Canada;
  
  
• That all program expenditure proposals with respect to priority areas identified for the 2005-2010 action plan on gender equality include GBA analysis and implementation goals;
  
  
• That the Treasury Board Secretariat provide wide and clear communication to the general public, equality-seeking organizations and other government departments in order to ensure a high level of support for the expected equality goals;
  
  
• That the Treasury Board Secretariat support and participate in work to identify, and, where necessary, develop indicators, to measure progress toward the identified equality goals; and
  
  
• That the Treasury Board Secretariat report annually to Parliament on progress toward gender-based analysis goals and the activities of departments and agencies both in active measures to attain gender equality goals and in increasing their capacity to implement gender-based analysis to ensure that unintentional negative impacts of programs and policies do not hinder progress toward gender equality goals.

RECOMMENDATION 8

• That the Treasury Board Secretariat establish clear criteria for reporting on GBA; and
  
  
• That the Treasury Board Secretariat ensure consistent annual reporting to Parliament on GBA in departmental reports on plans and priorities and performance reports.

RECOMMENDATION 9

• That every federal department and agency immediately designate an assistant or associate deputy minister with responsibility for GBA;
  
  
• That all federal departments and agencies ensure regular and active participation in the Interdepartmental Committee on GBA;
  
  
• That all federal departments and agencies develop a strategic framework for GBA and action plans for implementation;
  
  
• That all federal departments and agencies provide additional resources for data needed for GBA and for staff to ensure that it is used;
  
  
• That all legislative, program and policy initiatives undergo GBA;
  
  
• That senior level departmental policy and other committees within all federal departments and agencies require regular, at least annual, progress reports on GBA with a particular focus on specific results; and
  
  
• That federal departments and agencies make this information about GBA available to Parliament and to the public in their reports on plans and priorities and departmental performance reports.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 3) is tabled.

Respectfully submitted,
La présidente,

JUDY SGRO
Chair

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