Amy Robichaud

Cabinet Committee Gender Analysis here: bsky.app/profile/amym...

I'm ready to do the work of ensuring that women are fully engaged in and able to participate in the Canadian economy at their highest potential.

However, it remains to been seen if this PMO understands that Building a Stronger Canada cannot be done without building a gender equality.

The Cabinet Committee structure does not do anything to rebuild this trust.

So while I’m happy to see a gender balanced cabinet, and WAGE back at the table, the proof is going to be in the policy pudding.

When @mark-carney.bsky.social eliminated the Minister of Women and Gender Equality from his first Cabinet, my trust (and I'll wager that of many leaders in my sector) was eroded that gender equality was understood as a strategic priority to underpin economic resiliency and security by this PMO.

It also it indicates that the PMO sees gender equality as a social issue, not an economic one.

To me, this indicates that women are still being appointed to Cabinet with a bias towards “social” portfolios over “economic” or “security” portfolios. This follows the larger social stereotype of women being better fits for “soft” work.

9 of the 12 members of the Quality of Life Committee are women and the Minister for Women and Gender Equality does not sit on the Build Canada Committee.

Only the following committees meet or exceed gender parity for women: Treasury, Build Canada, Quality of Life. That is 3 out of 8 committees.

Looking at the Cabinet committees offers some telling indications on how women are still viewed at the highest levels of political power in Canada.

❗No women Committee Chairs
❗On average women sit on less Cabinet Committees than men

This Cabinet's commitment to gender equality ends at the numbers. It does not carry through to who fills positions of influence or access to power within Cabinet.

Preface: I'm thrilled that we have gender equality in @mark-carney.bsky.social new Ministry. The commitment to this should be baseline for Canada.

I also believe that we hold our own accountable and that progress on gender equity cannot be assumed - it has to be demonstrated.

Who wants to dig into some analysis of our Canada's new gender equal Cabinet?

Buckle up.

(Thanks @kyleolsen.bsky.social for the graphic)

#WNORTH2025
#LeadingWithPurpose #GenderEquity #AuthenticLeadership #WomenInPolitics #WomenInLeadership #elbowsup #WNORTH #WNORTHconference #CdnPoli #CanadianPolitics

❤️‍🔥 "If the price of individual access to power is silence, it isn’t true power."

💪 "It isn't just Elbows Up, it also has to be Arms Linked."

Genuine allyship, gender-responsive policies, and transparent recruitment processes are crucial for meaningful progress.

Walking back into my work and life I continue to focus on two messages from my presentation:

The structures and policies that underpin our political parties continue to create obstacles—from entrenched stereotypes to normalized harassment—that disproportionately impact women +.

I hope my message was clear: Women aren’t the issue—the party structures themselves need to change.

❗ Canada's recent federal election saw the largest-ever decrease in women candidates, underscoring just how urgently structural reform is needed. ❗️

I spoke candidly about the barriers women and gender-diverse people still encounter within Canadian politics.

Thank you Heather Odendaal for building a community of women who are collectively coding leadership environments to women’s experiences.

And for inviting me to take the stage and share “Off the Party Line: Rethinking Power in Canadian Politics”.

✨Reflecting on WNORTH 2025 - Beyond Barriers: Accelerate Growth, Inspire Change✨

I'm back at my desk after attending the 10th Anniversary WNORTH Conference where women leaders converged to transcend obstacles, drive personal and professional development, and champion transformative change.

I know of at least 7 qualified, vetted women who wanted to run as Liberal’s in this elxn, @mark-carney.bsky.social your team appointed men in every case. It isn’t more difficult to recruit women, the wrong people are in charge of recruiting + treat the women who do step up as disposable. #cdnpoli

👍

I will run again.

Nous avons du travail à faire – et nous ne pouvons le faire qu’ensemble.

We have work to do—and we can only do it by standing together.

With grit and hope,
Amy

Let’s keep working to make our voices—and our values—heard.

I’ll continue doing my part, as I always have.

Politics needs more women. Not fewer.

I still believe the Liberal Party is best placed to defend Canada’s sovereignty and values.

If you’re disappointed, don’t walk away. Get involved.

Now is not the time to stand on the sidelines.

Canada—and the world—face huge challenges right now.

We need leadership with the courage to make hard choices, earn trust, and build the future we all deserve.

Those who maneuvered for this outcome should ask themselves:

Do they truly believe in bringing more women into politics?

Do they believe in grassroots organizing, in democracy, in empathy?

I still believe you deserve to have your voices heard.

That’s what I’ve been fighting for. That’s what I’ll keep fighting for.

Our riding and our EDA have been ready for a nomination vote for months.

And I’ve spent over a year listening to, learning from, and working with Liberals across Vancouver Quadra.

I found out the same way many of you did: through a templated announcement, after the fact.

To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement.

Despite repeatedly promising a vote Liberal Party of Canada appointed a candidate in Vancouver Quadra—without holding a nomination meeting.

Local Liberals were not given the opportunity to choose their own representative.