QUESTION PERIOD — Global Affairs
Feminist International Assistance Policy
November 26, 2025
Government leader, while it is welcome that your government is abandoning its empty, virtue-signalling, feminist foreign policy, Canada still has billions committed to projects under this banner, such as “gender-just rice” in Vietnam and promoting positive masculinities in Morocco. By the time these programs conclude in 2033, taxpayers will have spent $1.73 billion. These projects prioritize ideology over results and often provide little tangible benefit to the countries involved.
Canadians are demanding fiscal responsibility, or at the very least aid that delivers measurable outcomes.
The fiscal responsibility is in the answer that the government has already given. It’s been elected on spending less and investing more, and that’s exactly what the government is doing with the budget that has been tabled.
The answer is there, and that’s what Canadians deserve. When we invest more in the economy and in infrastructure, we create jobs and growth. The number I just gave you is proof of that. Jobs are high and inflation is down, and I think that’s good for Canadians.
Senator, now that the feminist foreign policy is being abandoned, will your government commit to reviewing all ongoing feminist foreign aid projects and redirect funds toward programs that deliver clear, accountable results for both Canadians and the countries receiving aid?
As far as the importance of the feminist movement is concerned, I answered your colleague Senator Miville-Dechêne yesterday that the government wants to put the rights of women everywhere at the front of its priorities. That’s exactly what the Prime Minister’s answer was all about. If you quoted him correctly, you will see that we are there for women. We want to ban violence against women, and we want to put women forward in our economy and everywhere in important positions in Canada.
