The minister for women and gender equality (French: ministre des femmes et de l’égalité des genres) 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.
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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
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.