The Liberals’ second budget with a gendered approach could be more robust

Adrienne Lipsey and Samantha Coronel in Policy Options on the ways in which the federal government uses GBA+.

One of the biggest narratives in the latest federal budget was the big push for gender equity.  Throughout the document, the government refers to the “she-cession” and the differential impact of COVID-19 on women’s economic participation and well-being. This differential impact is itself spread unevenly, with newcomer and racialized women, and especially Black and Indigenous women, experiencing the effects of COVID-19 differently, in terms of both their economic position and their personal security and health.

All in all, the message is clear – the Liberal government believes this is a time to attend to the needs of women or lose decades of economic and social progress.

The centrepiece of the government’s response to this challenge is its multi-billion-dollar child-care investment. But how is it acting beyond this marquee policy? What do we know about how the federal government understands the gender implications of its policies? What tools inform government decision-making on gender equity, and how well are they working?