Gearey: In the federal public service, simple gender parity isn't enough
Recently, I took part in a public service workshop examining hypothetical risks to Canada. Each table of participants was provided a dozen risks that we were asked to rank in order of perceived importance.
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One potential risk card read something akin to: 'Diminished Male Relevance.'
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I blinked twice, unsure if I'd read it correctly. Women are still crawling out of the long shadows of exclusion in Canada, still pressing for equity, and we're already anticipating a crisis of male relevance?
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That moment stayed with me. Perhaps it offered a glimpse into how some people perceive change: as erosion, not evolution. As someone losing versus the creation of a new partnership.
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What was really on my mind was what's happening south of the border. In the United States, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs in government and elsewhere are being dismantled. Furthermore, a man found liable for sexual assault, ordered to pay more than $83 million in damages, is president. That kind of backslide doesn't stay confined to politics; it seeps into culture, rewiring progress.
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Canada leads other countries
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In contrast, Canada's federal public service has something to be proud of. It has surpassed gender parity: women now represent 56.8 per cent of its workforce and 52.5 per cent of its executive roles. We've seen women serve as Clerk of the Privy Council, and also in top defence, foreign affairs and finance roles. The government also mandates Gender-Based Analysis-Plus across all departments. Furthermore, the OECD's Government at a Glance 2023 report places Canada among the top tier for women in public leadership, outpacing most G20 peers.
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Canada's public service didn't evolve this way by accident; it arrived here through litigation, legislation, years of sustained pressure and conscious strategy.
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In March, the federal government eliminated the position of minister for Women and Gender Equality, sparking intense criticism. Within weeks, the role was reinstated. The public response made it clear that gender equity is still a priority for Canadians.
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Culture is the operating system that's unseen but runs everything. I've known women in the public service being told they were 'too assertive' or 'not collaborative enough.' Their leadership styles are questioned. Their confidence mistaken for abrasiveness. This is feedback that men are far less likely to receive. These aren't isolated events, they're patterns.
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