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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The Province

2 hours ago

• The Province

Opinion: Plastics threaten human health, but solutions are under political fire

Opinion: There is a good reason for concern over the mounting levels of plastics in our food and in us — they can cause metabolic disorders and interfere with immune and reproductive systems Canadians use 15 billion plastic bags annually and nearly 57 million straws daily, yet only nine per cent of plastics are recycled — a figure that is not expected to improve. Photo by JONATHAN HAYWARD / THE CANADIAN PRESS Negotiations toward a global, legally binding plastics treaty are set to resume this summer, with the United Nations Environment Programme announcing that an intergovernmental negotiating committee on plastic pollution will reconvene in August. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The committee was established to develop an international legally binding instrument — known as the plastics treaty — to end plastic pollution, one of the fastest-growing environmental threats. Globally, 40 per cent of plastics production goes into the production of single-use plastic packaging, which is the single largest source of plastic waste and is a threat to wildlife and human health. Without meaningful action, global plastic waste is projected to nearly triple by 2060, reaching an estimated 1.2 billion tonnes. As the world prepares for another round of talks, Canada's own plastic problem reveals what's at stake, and what's possible for the future. Canada's plastic problem Canada is no exception to the global plastic crisis. Nearly half (47 per cent) of all plastic waste in Canada comes from the food and drink sector, contributing 3,268 million tonnes annually. Canadians use 15 billion plastic bags annually and nearly 57 million straws daily, yet only nine per cent of plastics are recycled — a figure that is not expected to improve. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Most of Canada's plastic — except for plastic bottles made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) — is uneconomical or difficult to recycle because of the complexity of mixed plastics used in our economy. As a result, 2.8 million tonnes of plastic waste — equivalent to the weight of 24 CN Towers — end up in landfills every year. This is not a trivial problem. Plastic pollution poses growing risks to both urban and rural infrastructure. In addition to landfill overflow, around one per cent of Canada's plastic waste leaks into the environment. In 2016, this was 29,000 tonnes of plastic pollution. Once in the environment, plastics disintegrate into tiny particles called microplastics (small pieces of plastic less than five millimetres long). Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. We drink those tiny microplastic particles in our tap water, and eat them in our fish dinners. Some are even making their way into farmland. Plastics are everywhere, including inside us More than 93 per cent of Canadians have expressed concerns over single-use plastics used in food packaging and have supported government bans. There is a good reason for concern over the mounting levels of plastics in the environment, in our food and in us. Growing evidence indicates that plastics can cause harmful health effects in humans and animals. Microplastics and smaller nanoplastics (less than one micron in length) have been found in humans, including infants and breast milk. They can cause metabolic disorders, interfere with our immune and reproductive systems and cause behavioural problems. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. These health problems may be caused by chemicals added to plastics, including single-use plastics, of which 4,200 chemicals have been identified as posing a hazard to human and ecosystem health. It is for these reasons that the Canadian government introduced a ban on single-use plastics in 2022 as part of a plan to reach zero plastic waste in Canada by 2030. The decision was based extensive public and industry consultation, as well as decades of data on plastic pollution gathered from the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. This data shows the most common plastic litter items found in the environment across Canada, known as the 'dirty dozen' list. Six of these items were included in the federal ban. The politics of plastic Despite overwhelming scientific consensus, debates around plastic pollution are becoming increasingly politicized. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In February in the United States, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. government to 'stop purchasing paper straws and ensure they are no longer provided within federal buildings.' Trump told reporters at the White House: 'I don't think plastic is going to affect a shark very much, as they're munching their way through the ocean.' Almost 2,000 peer-reviewed studies have reported, however, that more than 4,000 species have ingested or been entangled by plastic litter. In Canada, plastic has also become a political flashpoint. During the recent federal election, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he would scrap the federal government's ban on single-use plastics and bring back plastic straws and grocery bags. He argued the government's ban was about 'symbolism' rather than 'science,' saying, 'the Liberals' plastics ban is not about the environment, it's about cost and control.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. His promise would have harmed Canadians by dismissing the overwhelming scientific evidence showing that plastics in our bodies are linked to health impacts. Legislation to ban single-use plastics can be highly effective, ranging from 33 to 96 per cent reductions in plastic waste and pollution in the environment, depending on the policy and jurisdiction. Canada's single-use plastics ban is a great example of evidence-based policymaking. The latest data from the conservation group Ocean Wise shows there was a 32 per cent drop in plastic straws found on Canadian shorelines in 2024 compared to the previous year. Science-based policies are needed It is indisputable that growing plastic production is directly related to plastic pollution in the environment and in human beings. Increasing plastic pollution is a global threat to human and ecosystem health, regardless of borders and political affiliation. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As negotiators gear up for another round of talks to finalize a Global Plastics Treaty to end plastic pollution, the need for policies that are supported by scientific evidence is more urgent than ever. Future generations deserve a healthy and sustainable planet. The path towards a healthy and sustainable planet requires supporting action based on scientific evidence, not misinforming people with catchy phrases and political rhetoric. Tony Robert Walker is a professor in the School for Resource and Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University. Miriam Diamond is a professor of environmental science at the University of Toronto. This commentary is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence.

4 hours ago

Nearly half of national public pension plan is invested in U.S. — and only 12% in Canada

As a former top Finance Department official, Susan Peterson played a key role years ago in creating the stable Canada Pension Plan that we see today. But even she was surprised by the numbers. A few weeks ago, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) revealed that 12 per cent of the CPP's assets are invested in Canada — its lowest level ever. The largest chunk of its $714-billion fund, 47 per cent, is currently invested in the United States — its highest level ever. Peterson doesn't think she's the only one surprised. If Canadians knew out of the $714 billion such a miniscule amount was invested in Canada, I think they would say, whoa, what's wrong with this picture. The CPPIB is not alone. Experts say the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is one of several Canadian pension plans that have been investing far more in the U.S. than in Canada in recent years. The CPP, whose investments are managed by the CPPIB, also known as CPP Investments, is a public pension plan that covers millions of Canadian workers across the country with the exception of Quebec, which has its own manager, the Caisse de dépôt et placement . Those who support this high level of U.S. investment, including the CPPIB itself, argue the plan's mandate is to make money. They argue U.S. investments offer more diversity and higher returns — which help ensure the plan will be able to pay out benefits for years to come. Others, however, question why the plan isn't doing more to invest in Canada to create Canadian jobs and infrastructure projects. Enlarge image (new window) Annual reports for 2005 and 2006 did not include geographical distributions outside of Canada. Photo: Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Elizabeth Thompson They are also concerned about the plan's U.S. exposure at a time when President Donald Trump's administration has made the country a riskier place to invest. The Trump administration's big, beautiful tax reform bill also contains a section that risks hitting Canadian pension funds (new window) that have U.S. investments with a new withholding tax that experts predict could cost Canadians and Canadian companies billions if it is adopted. Some pension funds, like the Public Sector Pension Investment Board which has 41 per cent of its assets invested in the U.S., have said in recent days that they are reconsidering their U.S. exposure and are looking for more Canadian investment opportunities. Michel Leduc, head of public affairs and communications for the CPPIB, says it has to invest for the long term, regardless of individual governments or administrations. We're investing money for people who aren't even born yet, he said. That long-term thinking must be the strongest pillar of how we think about our investment strategy. But he says the CPPIB at the same time isn't short-term stupid. We're continuing to think through what could be some of the bigger impacts, he said. Leduc said the U.S. percentage has grown even though the fund has been diversifying away from the U.S. because the existing investments have grown in value. U.S. stocks have gone up, he said. It's just because we make good investments. Time to invest at home again? The CPPIB is also open to Canadian investment opportunities, Leduc said. Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced plans to invest and build in Canada. He has mentioned pension funds as one possible source of money. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the government also plans to host foreign pension funds interested in investing in Canada. People see Canada as the place to invest, Champagne told CBC News. So, we'll always be talking to them and investors from around the world. There was a time when the CPP primarily invested in Canada. Initially, it was operated as a pay-as-you-go model with investments in Canada, largely in government bonds. However, in the late 1990s the pension plan was facing a crisis — Canada's chief auditor predicted that it would run out of money by 2014 unless something was done. Spearheaded by then finance minister Paul Martin, and aided by officials like Peterson, the federal government and provinces agreed to a package of reforms, including the creation of the CPPIB. While the CPPIB is a Crown corporation, it operates independently from government. For years, a foreign property rule capped the amount pension funds could invest outside Canada. Introduced in 1971, it limited investments by pension funds to 10 per cent of their assets going abroad. That was raised to 20 per cent in the 1990s and then 30 per cent in 2001. In his 2005 budget, Finance Minister Ralph Goodale repealed that rule, saying the move had the potential to increase venture capital investments by pension plans in Canada. Since then, there has been a steady reduction in the value of CPP's investments in Canada and a steady rise in U.S. investments. U.S. stocks rise in value In 2005, 74 per cent of the CPP's assets were invested in Canada. By 2015 it was down to 24.1 per cent. For the last two years it has stood at 12 per cent. At the same time, the plan's assets have grown — from $81.3 billion in 2005 to $714 billion on March 31. Its assets are projected to hit $1 trillion in the next few years, making it one of the largest pension plans in the world. However, as the proportion of the CPP's investment in Canada has dropped and its assets in the U.S. has increased, so too have questions about where the money is going. In March 2024, dozens of top Canadian executives penned an open letter to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and provincial finance ministers, concerned with the decline in Canadian investments by pension funds and its impact on the Canadian economy. They called on the ministers to amend the rules governing pension funds to encourage them to invest in Canada. Investments made in Canada do not impact just pension portfolios; they also have a considerable impact on the country's economy; generating jobs, improving incomes and increasing contributions to retirement plans, the executives wrote. In April 2024, the federal government appointed former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz to look at how to catalyze greater domestic investment opportunities for Canadian pension funds. That resulted in proposals in the fall economic statement including measures to make it easier for pension funds to invest in Canadian companies, municipal-owned utility corporations, airports and AI data centres. Daniel Brosseau, co-founder of the Montreal investment firm Letko Brosseau, is concerned by the long-term erosion in Canadian pension fund investment in Canada and its impact on the economy. It's been a long-term decline, and we're basically investing very little in Canada now, he said. Brosseau doubts the measures in the fall economic update will make much of a difference. They don't allow the pension funds to distinguish between a Canadian and a foreign investment in any way, he said. They will have no effect. Instead, Brosseau suggests the government tax the foreign income of pension plans. They could clearly see a difference between a Canadian investment and a foreign investment, and that would change their behaviour, he said. Chris Roberts, director of social and economic policy for the Canadian Labour Congress, says the CPP's role in the Canadian economy is an important debate that is about to heat up — and he wants all Canadians to participate. These are people who pay into the CPP every day and will draw a CPP benefit when they retire, he said. They're often of the view that the CPP Investment Fund should invest more at home and create jobs and economic opportunities here in Canada. Lessons from Quebec Unlike Quebec's Caisse , which has a double mandate to make money and to also invest in Quebec's economic development, the CPP's only mandate is to make money, Roberts said. Sen. Clément Gignac, an economist by profession and a former Quebec cabinet minister, has asked questions in Senate proceedings about where the CPP is investing. He says Quebec has successfully made money for the province's retirement fund while also bolstering economic development. Gignac said Carney's pledge to invest in infrastructure could create opportunities for the CPP and other pension funds to invest in Canada. Do we need to change the mandate officially, or will it come naturally? he said. Gignac would like a Senate committee or a special commission to take a closer look at how Canada's largest pension plans, dubbed the Maple Eight, are investing their assets abroad. If anything happens and geopolitics deteriorate, or we have a hostile foreign country who suddenly seize our assets, just like we have seized assets from Russia … or change the rules of the game on taxation, just like Mr. Trump wants to change them — it would be important if we have a robust risk-management analysis. Trish McAuliffe, president of the National Pensioners Federation, said her members would like to see prudent, ethical investment by the CPPIB as well as increased investment in Canada. We love nothing better than to see great investments here…. investments in infrastructure, hospitals. Things that will benefit our age demographic but also our community at large, she said. McAuliffe said the federation attends stakeholder meetings with the CPPIB, and while at the early stages, she expects the question will be part of the federation's convention in October. We're hopeful … that they're going to make the right decisions, she said. But make no mistake — people are watching. Elizabeth Thompson (new window) · CBC News

Cision Canada

5 hours ago

• Cision Canada

Prime Minister Carney announces changes in the senior ranks of the public service

OTTAWA, ON, /CNW/ - Canada's new government has a mandate for change. A stronger Canada depends on a strong and effective public service – one that is focused on execution, delivery, and impact. Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced the following changes in the senior ranks of the public service: Jean-François Tremblay, currently Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change, becomes Senior Official at the Privy Council Office, effective June 30, 2025, while he prepares for his upcoming role as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Mollie Johnson, currently Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Plans and Consultations) and, concurrently, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Clean Growth), Privy Council Office, becomes Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change, effective June 30, 2025. Nancy Hamzawi, currently Executive Vice-President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, becomes President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, effective June 20, 2025. Alison O'Leary, currently Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy, Department of Finance Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, effective June 30, 2025. The Prime Minister also announced that Kaili Levesque, Associate Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, will provide direct support to the Secretary of State (Nature), and that Mark Schaan, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Artificial Intelligence), Privy Council Office, will provide direct support to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation. The Prime Minister took the opportunity to congratulate Heather Jeffrey, former President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, on her recent retirement from the public service. He thanked her and Suzy McDonald, Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, for their dedication and service to Canadians throughout their careers and wished them all the best in the future. This document is also available at