LGBTQ2 Secretariat Moves to Women and Gender Equality

Summary#

The government published Transfer of Duties Order: SI/2021-96 to move responsibility for the federal LGBTQ2 Secretariat from the Department of Canadian Heritage to the Department for Women and Gender Equality. The order was made as P.C. 2021-951 on October 26, 2021 and registered in the Canada Gazette on November 10, 2021 under the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act.

What it does#

• Transfers control and supervision of the portion of the federal public administration known as the LGBTQ2 Secretariat.
• Moves that responsibility from the Department of Canadian Heritage to the Department for Women and Gender Equality.
• Uses authority in the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act to make the change.

Who's affected#

• Staff who work in the LGBTQ2 Secretariat and the parts of the Department of Canadian Heritage involved in that work.
• The Department for Women and Gender Equality, which will now oversee the Secretariat.
• Community groups, advocacy organizations, and others who interact with the LGBTQ2 Secretariat — they may have a new departmental contact.
  If it is unclear who else is affected, that is because the order only states the administrative transfer and does not list program or funding changes.

Why it matters#

• It changes which federal department oversees LGBTQ2-related policy and coordination.
• For people and groups who rely on or work with the Secretariat, the move could mean a different office handles requests, communications, and coordination.
• The order is an administrative reorganization; the Canada Gazette notice does not say whether mandates, programs, or funding are changing.