Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)

Governance

An informal joint CIRNAC/ISC Feminist Government/GBA+ Network was established in 2018–19. The joint CIRNAC-ISC network contributed to early GBA+ planning discussions with the Diversity and Inclusion Champion, appointed in January 2019. In Fall 2018, representatives from this network had a seat at senior management and policy circles and contributed a gender, diversity and Indigenous lens to policy discussions. The network also gathered and disseminated information across the 2 departments and shared best GBA+ application practices.

To date, the department has focused its efforts on GBA+ network meetings, establishing contacts with academics, Indigenous women’s organizations, and consulting with Women and Gender Equality Canada to ensure the integration of GBA+ into departmental decision-making processes. In 2018–19, the department funded 3 Indigenous women’s organizations (Native Women's Association of Canada, Pauktuutit, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak) to explore how culturally-competent and collaborative GBA+ tools could be co-developed for use by the department in the implementation of GBA+ policy.

Human Resources

One (1) actual Full Time Equivalent (FTE) was dedicated to GBA+ implementation in 2018–19. The resource was housed within CIRNAC’s GBA+ Responsibility Centre in the Strategic Policy Directorate.

One (1) Departmental Diversity and Inclusion Champion represented GBA+ priorities for the department.

Approximately 50 GBA+ Focal Points were informally appointed from sectors and the regions to support GBA+ requirements, attend GBA+ network meetings, and other governance bodies such as the CIRNAC Senior Policy Circle, CIRNAC Policy Circle, and the Budget 2019 Working Group.

Major initiatives: results achieved

CIRNAC developed methods to collect data to support the design, implementation, and review of policy and programs using a GBA+ lens.

• Due to capacity constraints, the internal challenge function, which is a departmental responsibility, was limited in 2018–19 on all GBA+ activities, plans and reporting. To leverage this limited capacity, the Cabinet Affairs Directorate of Policy and Strategic Direction was responsible for supporting GBA+ data collection into the Memoranda to Cabinet process. The Strategic Policy Directorate supported GBA+ data collection for Budget proposals and programs ensured GBA+ integration in Treasury Board Submissions.
• CIRNAC coordinated a number of activities to increase GBA+ competency in both CIRNAC and ISC, including: coffee chats; Fed Talks; a one-month long GBA+ training challenge in December 2018 where 1060 employees from both CIRNAC and ISC completed GBA+ training; a presentation from the Department of Finance, and the promotion of Women and Gender Equality Canada’s updated GBA+ training platform.

Reporting capacity and data

Due to capacity constraints associated with the split of the department, reporting capacity was limited to qualitative information on processes and initiatives. There was no capacity to collect data.