GBA Plus Awareness Week

Colleagues,

From May 8 to 12, 2023, we will celebrate the 11th annual Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) Awareness Week! This is an opportunity for public servants and people across the country to learn more about GBA Plus, and its significant role in shaping inclusive and accessible programs, services, and policies. Two virtual events will be held under the theme Building a More Inclusive Future for All! These events were postponed after the GBA Plus Awareness Week due to the impact of the strike on the public service. Register now!

• Designing for All: Implications for the Public Service of Canada
  (May 23, 2023, 13:30 to 15:00 EST)
• What Does “Better” Look Like? An Intersectional Approach to Government Policy, Programs, and Operations (May 24, 2023, 13:30 to 15:00 EST)

The underlying concept of GBA Plus is that different people experience the same programs, services, and policies differently. By examining the ways that gender and its intersections with race, ethnicity, disability, Indigeneity, socioeconomic class, and other identities influence our programs, service, and policy design, we can come up with more inclusive ones. We can all contribute to building a more inclusive future for all in applying a GBA Plus lens to our work.

To get you inspired, we have provided three Parks Canada case studies based on real GBA Plus research:

• A Proposed National Park Reserve
• General Class Contribution Program
• National Uniform Program

To broaden GBA Plus knowledge and to build competencies across Parks Canada, the GBA Plus team offers a wide range of training, resources, and activities. We have launched a GBA Plus Training Blitz to increase the number of team members who complete the Introduction to GBA Plus training. While the training is mandatory for executives and managers, it is highly recommended that everyone take the training to expand their awareness and knowledge related to how they can contribute to a more inclusive world through their own work. After completing the training, send your Canada School of Public Service’s certificate to gba-acs@pc.gc.ca for entry to your PeopleSoft record.

In an added measure to bring attention and inspiration to incorporating GBA Plus within our organization, I am also pleased to launch the first ever GBA Plus Micro Funds Competition. It aims to provide support to Parks Canada teams in making evidence-based decisions to ensure that the programs, services, and policies that they develop do not inadvertently create barriers for the intended users or recipients. Submit your proposal by June 1st!

For any questions or comments, you can contact the GBA Plus team at gba-acs@pc.gc.ca and check out the GBA Plus page on ParksNet for more information.

Thank you for taking part in this year GBA Plus Awareness Week, and for making the Training Blitz and the Micro Funds Competition a success!

Jewel Cunningham
Vice-President, Strategic Policy and Planning