Issue
Gender Equality & Reproductive Rights
Federal gender-equality framework anchored in the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Employment Equity Act (last substantively updated in 1995), the Pay Equity Act of 2018 (Bill C-86, federally regulated employers), and gender-based-analysis-plus (GBA Plus) requirements across federal departments. Reproductive rights: federal coverage of contraception under the first phase of pharmacare (Bill C-64 of 2024) covers approximately 9 million people of reproductive age. Abortion has been legal in Canada since the 1988 R. v. Morgentaler Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Criminal Code restrictions; provincial coverage and clinic access vary widely, especially in New Brunswick (where coverage is restricted to hospitals). Active 2024-2025 files: Bill C-332 (coercive control), Keira's Law (C-233, royal assent April 2023 on mandatory judicial education on intimate-partner violence), conversion-therapy ban (C-4 of 44-1, royal assent December 2021), and the Véronique Barbe Act (Senate Bill S-238).
Where parties stand
Compare side-by-side- Bloc QuébécoisBLOC
The Bloc Québécois defends Quebec's separate framework for abortion-rights protection (Quebec was the first jurisdiction in North America to provide publicly funded surgical and medical abortion under provincial healthcare coverage from 1977; the federal Bill 50 of 1969 partially decriminalized abortion, fully decriminalized after R. v. Morgentaler 1988). Supports federal funding for women's shelters flowing through unconditional transfer to Quebec, defends Quebec's Bill 96 protections of French as the language of work in federally regulated workplaces, and supports the Pay Equity Act (S.C. 2018, c. 27, s. 416) federal-public-sector pay-equity audit accountability.
Source - Conservative Party of CanadaCONSERVATIVE
Position is that abortion law is settled and a Conservative government would not legislate to restrict it. Many caucus members personally oppose abortion and have voted for private members' bills tied to the issue; the leader has committed to no government-introduced legislation.
Source The federal Green Party supports codifying access to abortion as a federally guaranteed right (currently the SCC's R. v. Morgentaler (1988) ruling left abortion lawful but provinces have varying access), increased Pay Equity Act (S.C. 2018, c. 27, s. 416) enforcement and audit funding, full federal-provincial parity for women's-shelter funding, expansion of universal early-learning and child-care benefits to maintain the $10-a-day target permanently (currently expires 2026 under federal bilateral agreements), and codified federal protection for trans-rights under section 15 of the Charter.
Source- Liberal Party of CanadaLIBERAL
The federal Liberal Party under Mark Carney passed the Pay Equity Act (S.C. 2018, c. 27, in force August 31, 2021) creating federal-public-sector pay-equity audit requirements, secured the Charter section 7 ruling in R. v. Morgentaler (1988) that struck down the Criminal Code abortion provisions (decriminalizing abortion); the Trudeau government continued the policy of refusing to reopen the abortion debate. Implemented the Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence with federal-provincial bilateral funding worth $539 million over four years (announced 2022), launched the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care framework ($30 billion over five years), and maintained the federal funding for women's shelters and crisis lines through Women and Gender Equality Canada.
Source The federal NDP under Jagmeet Singh supports codified access to abortion under federal statute (currently the SCC's R. v. Morgentaler (1988) ruling left abortion lawful but provinces have varying access), full implementation of the Pay Equity Act (S.C. 2018, c. 27) including federal-public-sector pay-equity audit accountability, federal funding parity for women's-shelter capacity, federal Crown-corporation gender-pay-gap reporting under the Employment Equity Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. 23, 2nd Supp.), and protection of trans rights as enumerated under section 15 of the Charter. Maintains the federal $200 per month Canada Disability Benefit floor as a starting point for trans persons facing employment discrimination.
Source
Bills affecting this issue
- C-9Federal45-1Third reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places)
Strengthens hate-propaganda offences, including hate motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Bill 9Municipal31st Legislature of AlbertaIn committee
An Act to amend the Vital Statistics Information Act
Vital Statistics Information Act amendments. Tied to controversial 2024 health-care restrictions and 2SLGBTQI+ rights.
- S-228Federal45-1Third reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sterilization procedures)
Adds Criminal Code offences for sterilization without informed consent.
- S-242Federal45-1Third reading
An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence
National action plan for the prevention of intimate partner violence.
- C-223Federal45-1In committee
An Act to amend the Divorce Act
Divorce Act amendments.
- C-16Federal45-1In committee
An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to criminal and correctional matters (child protection, gender-based violence, delays and other measures)
Strengthens gender-based violence offences and related procedural protections.
- S-235Federal45-1First reading
An Act respecting the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking
Human trafficking disproportionately affects women, girls, and Indigenous women.
- C-246Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (consecutive sentences for sexual offences)
Consecutive sentences for sexual offences.
- C-424Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and the Prisons and Reformatories Act
Strengthens protections for homicide-victim families: contact restrictions, more victim notification.
- C-332Federal44-1In committee
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (coercive control of intimate partner)
Criminal Code coercive-control offence. Mirrors UK laws on controlling and coercive behaviour in intimate-partner relationships.
- S-249Federal44-1Third reading
An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence
Requires Ottawa to draft a national framework for the prevention of intimate partner violence.
- S-250Federal44-1Third reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sterilization procedures)
Adds Criminal Code offences for sterilization without informed consent. Responds to documented coerced-sterilization cases.
- C-404Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish National Conversion Therapy Awareness Day
National Conversion Therapy Awareness Day.
- C-320Federal44-1In committee
An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (disclosure of information to victims)
Parole Board must disclose to victims the reasons for release decisions involving violent offenders.
- C-366Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (substances in menstrual tampons)
Food and Drugs Act on substances in menstrual tampons.
- C-363Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the National Defence Act (sexual offences)
Military-justice sexual-offence modernization (Arbour report).
- C-318Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)
Gives adoptive and intended parents the same 15-week EI parental-benefit pool currently reserved for birth mothers.
- S-266Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Sex Offender Information Registration Act
Sex Offender Information Registration Act stronger reporting.
- C-336Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Sex Offender Information Registration Act
Strengthens reporting obligations on the National Sex Offender Registry.
- C-233Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Judges Act (violence against an intimate partner)
Keira's Law. Requires mandatory judicial training on intimate-partner violence and coercive control.
- C-307Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (menstrual products)
Requires federally regulated employers to provide free menstrual products in workplace washrooms.
- C-306Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish National Women’s Entrepreneurship Day
Establishes National Women's Entrepreneurship Day.
- S-238Federal44-1In committee
An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (information about the victim)
Véronique Barbe Act. Gives victims more information about violent offenders, including photos on release.
- S-231Federal44-1Report stage
An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Criminal Records Act, the National Defence Act and the DNA Identification Act
Sexual-offence trial reforms.
- S-255Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (murder of an intimate partner, one's own child or an intimate partner's child)
Criminal Code aggravating factor for murder of an intimate partner or a child of an intimate partner.
- C-256Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Financial Administration Act (composition of boards of directors)
Federal Crown corporation board diversity requirements.
- C-4Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy)
Conversion-therapy ban primarily affects 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians.
- C-202Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (controlling or coercive conduct)
Earlier coercive-control bill targeting controlling behaviour in intimate-partner relationships.
- S-218Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Department for Women and Gender Equality Act
Expands Department for Women and Gender Equality Act mandate with GBA Plus alignment.