Statement
April 17, 2019 - Montreal, Québec - Department of Justice Canada
Today, the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, issued the following statement:
"Today we celebrate the 37th anniversary of the signing of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This foundational constitutional document is one of our country's greatest accomplishments. We are fortunate to have a Charter that embodies those fundamental rights and freedoms that define our identity and our aspirations as Canadians. The Charter plays an important role in addressing inequality. It is intended to ensure that everyone is treated with the same respect, dignity and consideration, free from discrimination. In this way, our Charter has helped us make great strides as a nation, but the protections it provides are not always evenly applied throughout Canada's diverse populations.
In particular, we still have work to do to achieve true gender equality. The disparity in access to justice experienced by women and girls remains a significant issue. While Canada has taken great strides in helping to close this gap, it still exists, especially for Indigenous women.
During its 2018 G7 Presidency, Canada made history by focusing on advancing gender equality and women's empowerment, and integrating these issues into all G7 themes, commitments and initiatives.
Building on what we started at the G7, Canada will share our commitment to gender equality with the world this June at the Women Deliver 2019 Conference, the world's largest gathering of world leaders, advocates, academics, and activists on the health, rights and well-being of women and girls. This conference, and the initiatives and legislation we have introduced to focus on gender equality and protecting women's rights, could not come at a better time.
