The minister for women and gender equality () is the minister of the Crown responsible for the Department for Women and Gender Equality. The minister is a member of the King's Privy Council for Canada and the Canadian Cabinet.
Rechie Valdez has been minister for women and gender equality since May 13, 2025. The minister is selected by the prime minister and appointed by the Crown. The position was created in 2018, when Women and Gender Equality Canada became a standalone department. The precursor to the role was the minister of status of women, which was at various times was held by a secretary of state or minister of state.
History The position previously existed as Minister of Status of Women, responsible for what was then known as Status of Women Canada. Traditionally, the office that held the Status of Women portfolio under their purview, that minister has been designated the additional honorary title of Minister responsible for the Status of Women.
The Status of Women portfolio was originally created in 1971 as a product of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women (created in 1967), who completed their report in 1970. The title of Minister for Women and Gender Equality was created in 2018, following the passage of the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2 and the creation of the Department for Women and Gender Equality, separating Status of Women Canada from the Department of Canadian Heritage. Responsibility for youth issues was added to the portfolio in 2021, once again associating the office with the Department of Canadian Heritage. In 2025, Youth issues were reassgined to the Secretary of State (Children and Youth).
Ministers NameTerm of officeAdditional rolePolitical partyMinister of Status of WomenBob Andras11 June 19717 August 1974LibMarc Lalonde1976 April 11977 September 15Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaLib1977 September 161978 November 23Minister of State (Federal-Provincial Relations)Lib1978 November 241979 June 3Minister of National Health and Welfare and Minister responsible for Fitness and Amateur SportLibDavid Samuel Horne MacDonald1979 June 31980 March 2Secretary of State and Minister of CommunicationsPCLloyd Axworthy1980 March 31981 September 21Minister of Employment and ImmigrationLibJudith Erola1981 September 221983 August 11Minister of Consumer and Corporate AffairsLib1983 August 121984 September 16Minister of State (Mines)LibWalter Franklin McLean1984 September 171985 August 19Secretary of StatePC1985 August 201986 June 29PCBarbara Jean McDougall1986 June 301990 February 22PCMary Collins1990 February 231993 January 3Associate Minister of National DefencePC1993 January 41993 June 24Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Environment) PC1993 June 251993 November 3Minister of National Health and WelfarePCJean Augustine2003 December 122004 July 19Minister of StateLibLiza Frulla2004 July 202006 February 5Minister of Canadian HeritageLibBev Oda
as Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women2006 February 62007 August 13ConsJosée Verner
as Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages2007 August 142008 October 29Cons2008 May 272008 October 29Minister of StateConsHelena Guergis
as Minister of State (Status of Women)2008 October 302010 April 8ConsRona Ambrose2010 April 92013 July 14Minister of Public Works and Government ServicesConsKellie Leitch2013 July 152013 December 11Minister of LabourCons2013 December 122015 November 3Minister of LabourConsPatty Hajdu2015 November 42017 January 9LibMaryam Monsef2017 January 102018 December 12LibMinister for Women and Gender EqualityMaryam Monsef2018 December 132019 November 20Minister of International DevelopmentLib2019 November 202021 October 26Minister of Rural Economic DevelopmentLibMinister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthMarci Ien2021 October 262025 March 14LibMinister of Women and Gender EqualityRechie Valdez2025 May 15PresentSecretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)Lib
The "status of women" portfolio was originally created in 1971 as result of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women (created in 1967), who completed their report in 1970. This new position, originally titled the Office of the Co-ordinator, Status of Women, was initially meant to help implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission.
During the 1993–2003 ministry of Jean Chrétien, the position was titled Secretary of State (Status of Women), as it did not carry full cabinet rank. The first cabinet of Paul Martin also kept this title, as the office's responsibilities were delegated from the Minister of Canadian Heritage. However, in July 2004, the title reverted to Minister responsible for the Status of Women with the swearing-in of Liza Frulla, who doubled as Heritage Minister and was thus ultimately responsible for Status of Women Canada.
In 2016, the position was made a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. In 2018, following the passage of the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, Status of Women Canada became a federal department called the Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE). WAGE administers the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case. One of the programs started by the Status of Women Canada was an education/analysis program called gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+).
In March 2025, Mark Carney eliminated the position, but later restored it following the 2025 Canadian federal election using the new name, Minister of Women and Gender Equality.
References
External links Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) CBC Digital Archives - Equality First: The Royal Commission on the Status of Women