New ranking shows Canada’s federal government falling further behind in gender equity
Canada has fallen to 71st place in the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s ranking of women in national parliaments, behind countries such as Rwanda, Uzbekistan, Uganda and South Sudan.
Canada ranked 65th this time last year.
The ranking is based on the number of women serving in a country’s legislative bodies, such as parliaments, assemblies and senates.
Women currently hold 30 per cent of the seats in Canada’s House of Commons, a record high, while 54 per cent of Canadian senators are women.
Prime Minister Mark Carney eliminated the Ministry for Women and Gender Equality when he appointed his first cabinet in March. However, the department was reinstated last month after considerable pushback from feminist and civil society organizations.
Equal Voice, a nonpartisan non-profit promoting women in politics, analyzed the 2025 election and found that the Conservatives, Bloc Québécois, and Liberals all ran fewer women candidates than in previous elections.
In recent years, harassment and threats of violence have been cited as a significant barrier for women entering politics.
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