Ottawa to restore envoy for women, peace, security

Ottawa will restore the position of envoy for women, peace and security in the coming weeks, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said on Thursday, reversing a decision that allowed the position to expire more than a year ago.

Speaking at the Ottawa Civic Space Summit, Anand said the role links Canada's longtime support for sexual rights and combating gender-based violence with a new focus on defence.

"In the coming weeks I hope to announce a new women, peace and security ambassador for Canada," Anand said. "This is an area where we're able to combine the importance of women and girls in our foreign policy with defence and security."

The concept of women, peace and security diplomacy recognizes the disproportionate impact of war on women and girls and promotes their leadership in peacebuilding and conflict prevention. It has been part of Ottawa's diplomacy since Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, and the ambassador role was created in 2019 by Justin Trudeau's Liberal government.

The decision to let the role lapse last year was roundly condemned by aid groups, which also criticized Prime Minister Mark Carney for saying he would not describe Canada's foreign policy as feminist.

In December, dozens of organizations endorsed a letter from Oxfam Canada urging Carney to restore the role and arguing the government was failing to stand up to a growing global backlash against feminism and LGBTQ+ rights.

At that time, when asked whether the role would be restored, Anand said the outgoing envoy was being kept in a senior role within the department to inform various programs, such as supporting the training of female peacekeepers abroad.

Katrina Leclerc, chair of the Women, Peace and Security Network-Canada, said Thursday's news was unexpected.

"After several unanswered letters from WPS community members, it comes as a welcome surprise," she wrote. "We look forward to welcoming the appointee and working closely to ensure Canada remains a leader on WPS, especially in the current global political climate."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2026.

By Dylan Robertson | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.