Gender-based analysis plus

Introduction

The Privy Council Office (PCO) has conducted its own analysis, under the Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) framework (accessible only on the Government of Canada network), to support this government-wide reporting requirement.

In 2018, Parliament passed the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act. The departmental plans and departmental results reports are being used to fulfil the President of the Treasury Board’s obligations to make public analysis on the impacts of expenditure programs on gender and diversity.

Institutional GBA Plus Capacity

Context

GBA Plus, an analytical process, provides a rigorous method for the assessment of systemic inequalities, as well as a means to assess how diverse groups of women, men, and gender diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The “plus” in GBA Plus acknowledges that GBA Plus is not just about differences between biological (sexes) and socio-cultural (genders). We all have multiple characteristics that intersect and contribute to who we are. GBA Plus considers many other identity factors (such as race, disability, sexuality, income, religion, age, gender identity, gender expression, language and geographical location) and how the interaction between these factors influences the way we might experience government policies and initiatives.

Using GBA Plus involves taking a gender- and diversity-sensitive approach to our work. Considering all intersecting identity factors as part of GBA Plus, not only sex and gender, is a Government of Canada commitment.

The federal government has been committed to using GBA Plus in the development of policies, programs and legislation since 1995. It provides federal officials with the means to continually improve their work and attain better results for Canadians by being more responsive to specific needs and circumstances.

Since 2016, GBA Plus has been a mandatory component of Memoranda to Cabinet, the policy documents brought forward by Ministers to present a policy proposal and seek decisions from Cabinet. As such, PCO will continue to review GBA Plus in MCs in 2023-24. As well, PCO will continue to provide advice that is informed by GBA Plus to the Clerk of the Privy Council, Prime Minister and Cabinet.

GBA Plus governance and capacity within the department

All PCO executives and analysts are responsible for supporting GBA Plus implementation in their roles, as appropriate. In addition, PCO continues to maintain a Champion for Intersectionality at the senior management level who is supported by an employee co-champion, a role that is currently designated for the GBA Plus Focal Point (1 FTE [+ 0.5 FTE of management responsibilities]). Together, the two champions promote awareness of intersectionality at PCO by:

• promoting the value of inclusive intersectionality to inform Cabinet decision-making;
• raising awareness of intersectionality in and outside PCO through, for example GBA Plus Awareness Week, speaking engagements and presentations to internal and external committees;
• providing guidance to PCO senior managers and employees on their responsibilities with respect to GBA Plus; and,
• promoting training for PCO employees so that they can strengthen intersectional considerations when undertaking the challenge-function role and providing advice.

To build capacity within the department, a departmental GBA Plus Framework is under development and will be finalized by September 2023. Consideration is being given to the applicability of the six components of the Framework as outlined by the Department of Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) in supporting Cabinet operations. Created in 2022, PCO’s GBA Plus Network will support the development of this Framework. In 2023-24, PCO will create an internal GBA Plus Advisory Committee that consists of PCO Executives. Social Development Policy and Results and Delivery will co-chair the Advisory Committee and provide secretariat support for it.

In addition to having a Champion for GBA Plus, the following governance bodies and accountability mechanisms support the systematic application of GBA Plus in PCO’s activities and helps ensure that GBA Plus is integrated into all departmental decision-making processes.

PCO’s Corporate Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team will continue to:

• Organize and promote departmental events related to recognize and commemorate days of significance (e.g.: International Women’s Day and Public Service Pride Season);
• Recommend the Canadian School of Public Service (CSPS) Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) training (INC101) to all new employees; and,
• Support the departmental BIPOC Mentorship Program and launching the sponsorship program.

GBA Plus Action Plan

In response to recommendations from the 2022 report of the Auditor General of Canada, PCO developed a GBA Plus Management Response Action Plan in collaboration with the Department of Women and Gender Equality and Treasury Board Secretariat.

The Department’s GBA Plus Management Response Action Plan sets out four core areas of work and main activities to be undertaken to ensure that GBA Plus is integrated into departmental decision-making processes. The Action Plan covers the following areas:

1. Enhancing GBA Plus in the challenge function: PCO requires that GBA Plus be conducted on all policy proposals that Ministers bring forward to Cabinet. These proposals are reviewed by PCO analysts and PCO will explore ways to enhance GBA Plus support early on in the review of Cabinet documents. This work will include better documenting GBA Plus in the review of Memoranda to Cabinet and providing high-level key observations to the Department of Women and Gender Equality that can be integrated into learning products with the objective of strengthening GBA Plus in Memoranda to Cabinet.
2. Promotion of the GBA Plus Framework: PCO will facilitate Deputy-level discussions on GBA Plus to encourage progress for departments to implement GBA Plus Frameworks. PCO’s internal institutional capacity GBA Plus Framework will be focused on supporting Cabinet operations.
3. Awareness of disaggregated data: PCO will continue to promote awareness of disaggregated data by continuing to co-chair a Federal Advisory Committee on the Disaggregation of Data, organizing departmental events and refining tools/guidance on using disaggregated data to support GBA Plus.
4. Assessing and monitoring: PCO will support WAGE in the assessing and monitoring of GBA Plus and will continue to participate in WAGE-led inter-departmental governance structures. PCO will also facilitate Deputy-level discussions with WAGE to strengthen collaboration and the quality of GBA Plus in Cabinet documents.

Planned initiatives

Over the course of 2023-24, PCO will continue to support the Government’s commitment to advance GBA Plus through the following activities by continuing to:

• Ensure that Cabinet documents incorporate GBA Plus with the understanding of how diverse groups of Canadians would be affected, as part of an ongoing focus on promoting gender equality and greater diversity;
• Provide training to strengthen internal capacity for rigorous GBA Plus in the challenge function;
• Provide support to analysts on all PCO-led Memoranda to Cabinet to ensure that GBA Plus is properly completed;
• Finalize the Departmental GBA Plus Framework;
• Collaborate with central agencies and WAGE to enhance the quality of GBA Plus in Cabinet documents and promote better disaggregated data collection, access, and analysis which is key to improving the quality of GBA Plus; and,
• Participate in the Inter-Departmental Committee on GBA Plus led by WAGE and the GBA Plus Learning Advisory Committee co-led by WAGE and the CSPS.

Accountability mechanisms

GBA Plus is supported by internal accountability mechanisms, including regular briefings to the GBA Plus Champion on departmental progress to advance GBA Plus.

The Department also reports on its implementation of GBA Plus through the GBA Plus Implementation Survey conducted by the Department of Women and Gender Equality and through testimonies to, and responses to reports of, parliamentary committees.

Highlights of GBA Plus results reporting capacity by program

Social and Economic Policy

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? N/A

All policy proposals must be informed by GBA Plus and the program reviews and considers GBA Plus as part of the PCO’s challenge function role.

To advance how departments and agencies incorporate GBA Plus into their proposed policies and programs, Social and Economic Policy is taking a multi-step approach in their challenge function role and providing guidance to departments on GBA Plus.

Social and Economic Policy is working to enhance documentation of GBA Plus in the challenge function. This work will drive the qualitative assessment and monitoring of gender and diversity considerations in policy proposals. While due to Cabinet Confidences this information cannot be shared publicly, this monitoring will be used to brief PCO senior management and inform learning products to strengthen GBA Plus in the challenge function role. Work is underway to best determine how gender and diversity impacts may be monitored.

As well, this program has created and chairs an internal GBA Plus Network. It is expected that working-level participation from each PCO Secretariat will be identified and meet regularly as a working group to advance GBA Plus in the due diligence review of Memoranda to Cabinet.

This program develops and refines tools on GBA Plus in Memoranda to Cabinet and is developing supplementary learning aids for PCO analysts to support them in their review of GBA Plus in Memoranda to Cabinet that will be finalized by September 2023.

The program also provides advice to clients on how to integrate GBA Plus into their Memoranda to Cabinet and contributes to the development of training materials to support the effective inclusion of GBA Plus in Memoranda to Cabinet.

International Affairs and National Security

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? N/A

Security and Intelligence (S & I)

When performing the challenge function role, PCO S&I scrutinises GBA Plus input on all Memoranda to Cabinet and other policy proposals submitted by departments and ensures that departments include accurate information in their analysis. This information is rigorously reviewed and, if necessary, challenged by PCO S&I. S&I identifies opportunities to address GBA Plus issues as early as possible in the development of new programs or initiatives, and will continue to do so.

When S&I is responsible for leading the development and coordination of programs and initiatives, GBA Plus analysis is an integral part of the process. In completing the analysis for the approval of the 2021-2023 Intelligence Priorities, S&I works with all participating security and intelligence organizations to gather their contributions. S&I assesses how intersecting identity factors, such as race, ethnicity, indigeneity, religion, age, sexual orientation, and mental and physical disability, interact with each other, and how they can and should influence and have an impact on the design, development, and support of Canada’s Intelligence Priorities. This results in enterprise-wide data collection across all security and intelligence departments, including PCO.

For the 2023-2025 Intelligence Priorities process, S&I will focus on data collection regarding GBA Plus and diversity/inclusion training programs and application of GBA Plus as an analytic framework within intelligence organizations (including training for unconscious bias, application of GBA plus skills to intelligence report production, and application of GBA Plus skills in communications with Canadians)

Moving forward PCO S&I will designate an analyst as Champion for GBA Plus within the Secretariat to participate in cross-GBA Plus fora including the internal GBA Plus Network chaired by Social Development Policy. The Champion will help ensure that analysts receive up-to-date information on best practices and will act as a starting point for questions on GBA Plus issues.

Emergency Preparedness and COVID Recovery

The Emergency Preparedness and COVID Recovery (EPCRS) program reviews and considers GBA Plus as part of the PCO’s challenge function role. EPCRS is responsible for coordinating and supporting two Cabinet Committees – the Committee on Safety, Security and Emergencies, and the Sub-Committee on the federal response to COVID-19. In supporting these Committees, EPCRS works both as a policy challenge function on proposals to ensure GBA Plus is incorporated in policies and programs, and with other policy areas within PCO to ensure proposals brought forward by those areas meet the same requirements. More precisely, this includes recognizing the impacts of emergencies, such as natural disasters or COVID-19, are often asymmetrical. EPCRS evaluates proposals to ensure consideration is given for these asymmetrical impacts, and that the proper analysis is undertaken to maximize program outcomes to benefit impacted communities, while mitigating further negative consequences where possible.

In addition, EPCRS plays a convening and advising role during emergency events. EPCRS uses the GBA Plus lens to these functions to ensure that emergency response measures undertaken by government recognize the differential impacts that emergency situations can have.

In terms of data collection, neither program collects data to enable to monitor and/or report on program impacts by gender and diversity, as this is not within the mandate of the program.

EPCRS ensures all staff have taken appropriate GBA Plus training, as a mandatory requirement for PCO employees. To build on this, EPCRS is committed to evaluating whether further in-house expertise in the form of a GBA Plus focal point is required, as well as considering enhancing training requirements for all staff and management.

Foreign and Defence Policy (FDP)

FDP is responsible for coordinating and supporting the Cabinet Committee on Canada and the World. When performing the challenge function role, FDP considers GBA Plus input on all Memorandum to Cabinet and other policy proposals submitted by line departments. This information is reviewed and, if necessary, challenged by FDP. This includes ensuring that a comprehensive GBA Plus assessment in included in all Memoranda to Cabinet for consideration by Cabinet, as well as applying a GBA Plus lens to other sections of the Memoranda to Cabinet.

FDP also applies a GBA Plus lens in the planning and execution of Prime Minister’s visits. This includes applying GBA Plus considerations to inform recommendations for Prime Minister’s engagements as well as scenario notes and suggested speaking points. For example, in past visits FDP has challenged counterparts from visiting delegations when confronted with the absence of women on panels or events with civil society and worked to include women and other underrepresented groups in the PM’s engagements.

Intelligence Assessment Secretariat (IAS)

All IAS employees complete the required GBA Plus courses through CSPS. When developing analysis, IAS employees take into consideration impacts of global developments on gender and diversity. All analysts complete training on understanding and identifying bias to ensure their assessments and tradecraft are as structured and objective as possible. Training offered by IAS has been reviewed with a GBA Plus lens and all new courses under development take that into consideration.

Intergovernmental Affairs

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? Not directly.

Work is underway at PCO to best determine how gender and diversity impacts may be monitored.

Intergovernmental Affairs does not collect data on policy proposals as they are developed by departments and owned by Ministers.

While not specific to data collection, in its challenge function role, Intergovernmental Affairs supports GBA Plus efforts and ensures advice is informed by GBA Plus. This includes working with other government departments, particularly Women and Gender Equality Canada, to ensure federal-provincial-territorial alignment on GBA Plus issues and programs (e.g., the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence). This also includes participation at the working level in the internal PCO GBA Plus Network, led by Social and Economic Policy. Once formed, Intergovernmental Affairs will also have executive level participation in the GBA Plus Advisory Committee at PCO.

Internal Trade

While Internal Trade investments are expected to affect various demographic groups differently, there will be no systematic collection of data as part of these activities. PCO will ensure that GBA Plus considerations are included in the work for this initiative. As a convener, PCO will aggregate GBA Plus data provided by partners/other federal departments in resolving issues of trade barrier, including labour mobility. For instance, PCO will ensure that stakeholder engagement efforts pay special attention to various groups, such as businesses owned by women and visible minorities. Moreover, in its research, analysis and reporting on internal trade barriers, PCO may cross-reference sectors where barriers are identified with the sex and visible minority ratio in that sector using StatCan’s National Occupational Classification and Labour Force Service data. This will allow PCO to highlight barriers with the greatest impact on women and visible minorities and draw attention to them publicly.

Results, Delivery, Impact and Innovation

Results and Delivery Unit

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? No

If no, please describe what actions are being taken (activities and the related timelines) to enable future monitoring or reporting of the program’s impacts by gender and diversity.

Not applicable for the Results and Delivery Unit which does not collect data on policy proposals as they are developed by clients and owned by Ministers. Data collected pursuant to implementation is stewarded by the responsible department/agency.

While the Results and Delivery Unit does not collect policy-, program- or service- specific data firsthand, it does, however, as a driver for the evidence-based demonstration of results for Canadians, contribute to Government-wide leadership in the activities and support and permit both robust, disaggregated data collection and good GBA Plus.

As per MC guidance, policy proposals are to include a Results and Delivery Strategy annex (Annex B) to describe how the proposal supports the Government’s priorities and what the expected results and performance indicators will be. These annexes are the preoccupation of the Results and Delivery Unit, who works with implicated departments and agencies to outline how tracking and reporting will inform course correction over the life of a program or initiative. This includes full consideration of GBA Plus, as well as how to capture disaggregated data to help inform results and recommended next steps.

To help advance how departments and agencies develop, convey and implement the Results and Delivery Strategies, they are reviewed by PCO and feedback is provided to support presentation of a solid approach in the proposal, including information with respect to what a successful initiative will achieve for Canadians (results/outcomes).

PCO, as co-chair of the Federal Advisory Committee on the Disaggregation of Data, supports efforts to improve cross-government efforts to address systemic inequities using disaggregated data. It also continues to promote cross-Government awareness of approaches that leverage disaggregated data to identify systemic inequities in access to and benefit from Government programs and services.

Impact and Innovation

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? Yes

If yes, please describe (as relevant) any notable future initiatives to expand the program’s capacity to report on impacts by gender and diversity and timelines.

This program collects sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus).

PCO’s Impact Canada considers GBA Plus in the design, delivery, and measurement of its key lines of business, including: Impact Canada Challenges, behavioural science programs of research, and Impact Canada Fellowship program.

Challenge program design

A GBA Plus lens is applied in both Challenge program design and jury member selection, and is assessed when reviewing applicants and winners of Challenges. Performance measurement of GBA Plus data is done by PCO Impact Canada by profiling applicants by demographic and business characteristics. [Challenge business applicants are diverse and vary in sex and age of the primary decision-maker, size of the business, industry, and number of years in operation. Ensuring a low barrier to entry is a key component of Challenge design.]

Behavioural Science projects

Behavioural science projects aim to understand attitudes, beliefs, and barriers that might influence behaviours in multiple areas. This involves using data on citizen perceptions (including surveys and other data collection), including detailed sociodemographic breakdowns across multiple areas to understand the experiences of diverse groups in multiple policy domains. In addition to sub-population breakdowns in nationally representative samples (based on census sociodemographic categories), some initiatives have employed oversampling techniques to derive more statistically meaningful insights.

Using advance modelling techniques, Impact Canada identifies different groups of Canadians that are otherwise invisible, or blurred together to shed light on profiles of cognitive architectures and social contexts to identify pathways for tailoring and targeting government policy and communications.

Impact Canada Fellowship program

The Impact Canada Fellowship program was created in January 2018 to attract external talent with specialized skills in key disciplines linked to the Impact Canada mandate, with aim to increase capacity and upskill the existing workforce. The Fellowship program has created equal opportunity for all genders, with approximately 50% of applicants, and of pre-qualified candidates representing women. For example, in 2021–22, Impact Canada launched and completed two Fellowship recruitment campaigns – one each in Behavioural Science and Challenges. 59% of applicants to these two campaigns were female, and 54.5% of candidates in the pool (pre-qualified experts) were female. The Impact Canada Fellowship program has initiated a partially blind recruitment process (e.g., applicants pass initial screening without assessors knowing applicants’ gender, identity, educational, etc. information), which intends to reduce potential inherent biases in hiring processes.

Legislative and Parliamentary Governance

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? No

If no, please describe what actions are being taken (activities and the related timelines) to enable future monitoring or reporting of the program’s impacts by gender and diversity.

Some portions of the program are not responsible for policy and legislative development or the delivery of programs and consequently do not collect data.

They review policy and legislative proposals developed by other departments. All proposals must be informed by a GBA Plus assessment at the development stage.

The program is a participant in the PCO GBA Plus Network which is a working group to advance GBA Plus in the due diligence review of Memoranda to Cabinet. It also makes available guidance for the development of Memoranda to Cabinet, which supports the effective inclusion of GBA Plus in Cabinet documents.

In addition, with funding provided in Budget 2022, the Democratic Institutions Secretariat is establishing a team to focus on Protecting Democracy initiatives, including efforts to combat mis- and disinformation (MIDI). While data on the impact of MIDI on specific groups is currently limited, available research suggests women and minority groups are disproportionately targeted.

The team’s focus on data generation, supporting research - and integrating these findings into policy development - will support analysis of GBA Plus relevant data and findings and enable the team to better target its efforts on an ongoing basis. Furthermore, the activities of the new team will target MIDI in both official languages and, where possible and appropriate, other languages relevant to Canada’s cultural communities. The team is currently being established and planning of future activities is underway.

Planning and Operations of Cabinet

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? No

If no, please describe what actions are being taken (activities and the related timelines) to enable future monitoring or reporting of the program’s impacts by gender and diversity.

Not applicable. All policy and budget proposals must be informed by GBA Plus and the program reviews and considers GBA Plus as part of the PCO’s challenge function role.

Plans and Consultations (P&C) does not collect data on policy proposals as they are developed by clients and owned by Ministers.

To advance how departments and agencies incorporate GBA Plus into their proposed policies and programs, Plans and Consultations analysts work with lead PCO secretariats when reviewing Memoranda to Cabinet and can provide comments on GBA Plus sections. In addition, Plans and Consultations surveys ministers on the usage of Gender Based Analysis in reviewing Memoranda to Cabinet, and can reflect comments into the program’s activities. P&C also reviews budget proposals, including for alignment with GBA Plus objectives. Finally, P&C’s regular analysis of economic and social trends and data, which can inform policy discussion and development, reflect GBA Plus considerations where appropriate and feasible.

This program also convenes a weekly meeting with deputy ministers from all departments on associated topics, which can serve as a venue to discuss and advance work on GBA Plus.

Senior Personnel and Public Service Renewal

Public Service Renewal (PSR)

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? No

If no, please describe what actions are being taken (activities and the related timelines) to enable future monitoring or reporting of the program’s impacts by gender and diversity.

PSR does not collect or hold the data used to monitor and report program impacts by gender and diversity. PSR monitors and analyzes a wide range of data sources from partners, including other federal departments, for this purpose and to inform ongoing work on Public Service renewal priorities.

Together, these data sources provide a useful picture of employee experiences and representation across the Public Service, though there are some limitations (e.g. availability of data at a granular level). Going forward, PSR will continue to work with partners as they collect and release more and increasingly disaggregated data for the Public Service and will make use of this data as it becomes available.

Senior Personnel Secretariat (SPS)

Does the program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? Yes

If yes, please describe (as relevant) any notable future initiatives to expand the program’s capacity to report on impacts by gender and diversity and timelines.

The Government of Canada is committed to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure that people of all gender identities, Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, persons with disabilities and other minority groups are reflected in leadership positions. To support this priority and monitor representation across GIC positions, SPS collects and maintains information on the diversity of Governor in Council appointees.

This diversity information is collected through self-identification at two points in the selection process: as part of the initial application, and on the Self-Identification Form for those being recommended for appointment. The collected information covers the following categories: gender, 2SLGBTQI+, visible minorities, persons with a disability, Indigenous peoples, bilingualism, first official language and youth (less than 40 when appointed).

PCO will continue to provide information on representation within the GIC community, including on its website and in Departmental Results Reports.

As of December 20, 2022, there were around 1,858 people appointed to administrative tribunals, agencies, boards, commissions, international organizations, and Crown corporations. Of these appointees, almost 52% identified as women, almost 12% as Visible minorities, almost 7% as Indigenous peoples, and about 4% as Persons with a disability.