Theminister for women and gender equality (French:ministre des femmes et de l’égalité des genres) is theminister of the Crown responsible for theDepartment for Women and Gender Equality. The minister is a member of theKing's Privy Council for Canada and theCanadian Cabinet.

Rechie Valdez has been minister for women and gender equality since May 13, 2025. The minister is selected by theprime minister and appointed by the Crown. The position was created in 2018, when Women and Gender Equality Canada became a standalone department.^[2] The precursor to the role was theminister of status of women, which was at various times was held by asecretary of state orminister of state.^[3]

The position previously existed asMinister 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 ofMinister responsible for the Status of Women.

The Status of Women portfolio was originally created in 1971 as a product of theRoyal Commission on the Status of Women (created in 1967), who completed their report in 1970. The title ofMinister for Women and Gender Equality was created in 2018, following the passage of theBudget 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.^[4] 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 theSecretary of State (Children and Youth).^[5]

The "status of women" portfolio was originally created in 1971 as result of theRoyal Commission on the Status of Women (created in 1967), who completed their report in 1970. This new position, originally titled theOffice of the Co-ordinator, Status of Women, was initially meant to help implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission.^[4][6]

During the1993–2003 ministry ofJean Chrétien, the position was titledSecretary of State (Status of Women), as it did not carry fullcabinet rank. Thefirst cabinet ofPaul Martin also kept this title, as the office's responsibilities were delegated from theMinister of Canadian Heritage. However, in July 2004, the title reverted toMinister responsible for the Status of Women with the swearing-in ofLiza Frulla, who doubled as Heritage Minister and was thus ultimately responsible forStatus of Women Canada.

In 2016, the position was made a member of theQueen's Privy Council for Canada.^[6] In 2018, following the passage of theBudget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, Status of Women Canada became a federal department called theWomen and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE). WAGE administers theGovernor 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 calledgender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+).

In March 2025,Mark Carney eliminated the position, but later restored it following the2025 Canadian federal election using the new name, Minister of Women and Gender Equality.^[7]

• Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE)
• CBC Digital Archives - Equality First: The Royal Commission on the Status of Women

• Ministerial offices in Canada
• Department of Canadian Heritage
• Gender equality ministries
• Women's ministries of Canada
• Women's organizations based in Canada
• Women's rights in Canada
• Children, young people and families ministries of Canada

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles containing French-language text