Carney’s first missteps on gender equality came when he broke precedent and dropped sex parity and the standalone Ministry for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) from his pre-election cabinet. He reinstated gender balance and WAGE post-election, but only after sustained criticism. Gender equity advocates and a coalition of women’s organizations warned Carney’s early omissions sent “a dangerous signal,” undermining decades of progress amid a global crisis in gender-based violence and systemic inequality.

Prime Minister Carney quickly stumbled over this issue again in his ministerial mandate letter. Trudeau directly emphasized gender equality in his 2015, 2019, and 2021 letters, and tasked WAGE ministers to lead national strategies on pay equity, gender-based violence, and intersectional policy development. Carney instead issued a single, generic letter to all ministers—including WAGE Minister Rechie Valdez—with no mention of “women,” “gender,” or “sex.”

Carney’s retreat from women and gender equality in formal government operations continued with the 2025 Throne Speech.

Trudeau’s 2015, 2019, and 2021 throne speeches referenced women, gender, and gender equality over a dozen times—naming gender-based violence, pay equity, and women’s leadership as core policy priorities. By contrast, the words “women,” “gender,” and “equality” were never uttered during the King’s May 2025 delivery.

Looking more closely, Carney has buried any specific acknowledgement of women and gender equity issues beneath family-friendly language.

Childcare, for example, is no longer a tool of gender equity but a household savings measure: “The Government will protect the programs that are already saving families thousands of dollars every year. These include childcare and pharmacare.” Gone is any mention of the gendered burden of care or how childcare enables women’s workforce participation.

Economic relief is similarly couched in neutral terms. King Charles stated the government will be “Reducing middle-class taxes and saving two-income families up to $840 a year.” Yet many of those families are held together by women in precarious, part-time, or unpaid labour. This recognition is erased by throne speech framing.

The gendered reality is also ignored in Carney’s promise that “Weapons licences for those convicted of intimate partner violence and those subject to protection orders will be revoked.” There’s no recognition of women—even though 93% of the approximately 100 women killed each year in Canada are murdered by male intimate partners or family members. Carney’s framing shifts the issue from gender-based violence to gun control.

The Throne Speech included necessary acknowledgements of Indigenous Peoples and Quebec/French language communities. It also contained a vague nod to constitutional rights by stating “The Government will always protect the rights and freedoms that the Charter guarantees for every Canadian.” But there’s no mention of Section 15 (equality rights), Section 28 (gender equality), or the rights of women and 2SLGBTQI+ people. It reflects a hierarchy of inclusion—where some are affirmed, and others simply omitted.

This silence isn’t neutral—it’s political. And it says a lot about who Carney is. He may be seen by some as a progressive economist, but he’s no Trudeau-style feminist. When asked, “How many genders are there?” Carney stated, “In terms of sex, there are two” to avoid mentioning gender diversity. This discomfort with gender and other critical identity issues now echoes through his government’s top-level messaging.

Women’s and 2SLGBTQI+ rights are being rolled back around the globe and need to be defended by Canada’s Prime Minister. Carney must course-correct by updating ministerial mandate letters to include gender equity considerations with clear goals. He should also recommit to requiring policy and budgets be evaluated using Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) so all government choices are first assessed for their impact on women and equity-seeking groups.

The tools are there. What’s missing is the will to use them.

Silence, after all, is never just silence. It’s a signal. And this one is loud and clear.

Jeanette Ashe holds a PhD from Birkbeck, University of London. She is faculty in political science at Douglas College and visiting faculty at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London. Her research focuses on political recruitment and gender- and diversity-sensitive parliaments. Follow her @jeanetteashe.