| Minister responsible for the Status of Women | |
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| Ministry | |
| Federal | |
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| Incumbent Rona Ambrose PC, MP, BA, MA since 9 April 2010 |
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| Style | The Honourable |
| Appointed by | Michaëlle Jean as Governor General of Canada |
| First | Robert Andras |
| Formation | June 11, 1971 |
| Term length | At Her Majesty's pleasure |
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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 Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. When the minister legally responsible for Status of Women Canada has been responsible for the file, traditionally, that minister has carried the additional honourary 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 Rona Ambrose.
Contents |
| 1. | Robert Andras | June 11, 1971 - August 7, 1974 |
| 2. | Marc Lalonde | August 8, 1974 - June 3, 1979 |
| 3. | David MacDonald | June 4, 1979 - March 2, 1980 |
| 4. | Lloyd Axworthy | March 3, 1980 - September 21, 1981 |
| 5. | Judy Erola | September 22, 1981 - September 16, 1984 |
| 6. | Barbara McDougall | September 17, 1986 - February 22, 1990 |
| 7. | Mary Collins | February 23, 1990 - November 3, 1993 |
| 8. | Sheila Finestone | November 4, 1993 - January 24, 1996 |
| 9. | Hedy Fry | January 25, 1996 -January 14, 2002 |
| 10. | Claudette Bradshaw | January 15, 2002 - May 25, 2002 |
| 11. | Jean Augustine | May 26, 2002 - July 19, 2004 |
| 12. | Liza Frulla | July 2004 - February 2006 |
| 13. | Bev Oda * | February 6, 2006 - August 14, 2007 |
| 14. | Josée Verner * | August 14, 2007 - October 30, 2008 |
| 15. | Helena Guergis | October 30, 2008 - April 9, 2010 |
| 16. | Rona Ambrose | April 9, 2010 - |
* Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
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.
In 2003, Status of Women Canada was sued for defamation in BC Supreme Court. The court found that a Status of Women Canada research publication was defamatory, although the plaintiff's claim was dismissed. The defence granted by the judge was "fair comment", which is a defence granted to non-factual statements of opinion. The judge further determined that despite the lack of truth, there was no malice involved in the defamation because the defendants truly believed what they wrote. (See the full judgment [1] or [2])
Status of Women Canada administers the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case.