Resumen de Presence and Purpose in the Canadian House of Commons: The Standing Committee on the Status of Women

Joan Grace

• In Canada, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women (SCSW) was established in the House of Commons in 2004 to report on relevant issues on the status of women. Adopting a feminist-institutional perspective, this article explores three dimensions of the work of the SCSW over the period 2004–2015: analysis and research, executive scrutiny and the participation of women's groups. The findings suggest that while the Committee contributed a gender presence and feminist voice, its inability to compel the government to act on recommendations rendered it a policy advocate rather than a catalyst for institutional innovation and gender mainstreaming.