Minister responsible for the Status of Women (Canada)

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The position of Minister responsible for the Status of Women in the Canadian cabinet was created in 1971 as a product of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women (created in 1967, report handed down in 1970). Most provincial cabinets have a similar position. Initially, the purpose of the position was to help implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission.

The minister has responsibility for Status of Women Canada an agency currently under the Department of Canadian Heritage. When the minister legally responsible for Status of Women Canada has been responsible for the file, traditionally, that minister has carried the additional honorary title "minister responsible for the Status of Women" to emphasize this role while when another minister has been charged with the agency, it was necessary to delegate the responsibilities to a minister of state.

The current federal minister is Josee Verner, who is the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages but has been styled "Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women" despite no plans by the government to rename the department to correspond with her title.

Past ministers include:

Robert Andras (1971- August 7, 1974)
Marc Lalonde (August 8, 1974 - June 3, 1979)
David MacDonald (June 4, 1979 - March 2, 1980)
Lloyd Axworthy (March 3, 1980 - September 21, 1981)
Judy Erola (September 22, 1981 - September 16, 1984)
Barbara McDougall (September 17, 1986 - February 22, 1990)
Mary Collins (February 23, 1990 - November 3, 1993)
Sheila Finestone (November 4, 1993 - January 24, 1996)
Hedy Fry (January 25, 1996 -January 14, 2002)
Claudette Bradshaw (January 15, 2002 - May 25, 2002)
Jean Augustine (May 26, 2002 - July 19, 2004)

In Jean Chrétien's ministry (1993 - 2003) the position was secretary of state (status of women), a position that did not carry full cabinet rank. The position was known as minister of state (status of women) in the first cabinet of Paul Martin, due to its responsibilities being delegated from the Minister of Canadian Heritage but reverted to its old title of minister responsible for the status of women with the swearing in of Liza Frulla in July 2004 as Frulla doubled as Heritage Minister who was ultimately responsible for Status of Women Canada.