OTTAWA — House of Commons finance committee chair Karina Gould says Prime Minster Mark Carney’s claim that Canada’s foreign policy is not feminist “certainly” marks a departure from the previous government.
But Gould says the policy and ideals Carney described remain feminist.
Carney’s comment on Sunday at the G20 leaders’ summit in South Africa marks a break from the foreign policy branding of former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government.
Carney also said his government still wants to defend LGBTQ+ rights and combat violence against women on the world stage — things he called aspects of Canada’s foreign policy.
Trudeau put forward a feminist foreign aid policy and his government repeatedly described itself as feminist.
Carney said the federal government will try to make progress by discussing strategies and approaches to equality as Ottawa pushes to expand trade with non-U.S. partners — including those that don’t prioritize gender equality.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2025.
— With files from Dylan Robertson, Kyle Duggan and Craig Lord
The Canadian Press
