Planned Parenthood Toronto Sounds Alarm Over New Federal Cabinet’s Elimination of WAGE and Youth Role

Press Release

For Immediate Release

Planned Parenthood Toronto Sounds Alarm Over New Federal Cabinet’s Elimination of Women, Gender Equality and Youth Role

Toronto, March 21, 2025 — The Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood Toronto (PPT) joins over 200+ organizations representing the breadth of feminist civil society in expressing deep concern and dismay regarding the elimination of the Women Gender Equity and Youth (WAGE) ministry from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s newly appointed cabinet (https://www.criaw-icref.ca/statements/joint-news-release-on-minister-of-wage/).

As an anticipated Federal election approaches, we must reaffirm our core values as Canadians. Safeguarding the rights of women, gender diverse people and youth is both central to democratic values and critical in a time of escalating global attacks on women and trans people. As Toronto’s only youth community health centre, PPT urges Prime Minister Carney to reinstate this key Ministerial position – not subsumed under another Ministry as “second thought” but with the central positioning it deserves.

Canada has known since 1971 when Status of Women Canada was first established that no good policy can happen outside of a core feminist and gender equity analysis. The shock and outrage among hundreds of organizations is a clear message for this and any other federal government: WAGE must be reinstated immediately

Mohini Datta-Ray, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Toronto, emphasizes the urgency of the situation:

“The attacks on women, trans people and youth around the world is terrifying. It is a coordinated strategy to slide the world quickly into violent authoritarianism. As Canada takes a courageous position against this authoritarianism, the elimination of WAGE signals Canada’s own backsliding exactly at the moment that we need to step up and protect our hard-won human rights and most vulnerable communities”

PPT’s Board of Directors calls upon new Liberal Party leader Mark Carney and his cabinet to:

• Reinstate the Ministry for Women and Gender Equality and Youth.
• Publicly reaffirm their commitment to upholding and advancing reproductive justice

• Ensure sustained funding for feminist civil society

• Proactively address and counteract any policies or rhetoric that threaten the rights and autonomy of women, trans people and youth both domestically and internationally

About Planned Parenthood Toronto

Planned Parenthood Toronto is Toronto’s only youth community health centre. We advance reproductive justice, and sexual and reproductive health for young people through primary care, mental health support, community programs, research, and advocacy.

Media Contact

Mohini Datta-Ray
Executive Director
Planned Parenthood Toronto

p: 289 242 8810
e: mdatta-ray@ppt.on.ca