$5.5 million for mine clearance while respecting “gender characteristics” in Ukraine

Over the weekend, the Trudeau government gave $5.5 million to two demining programs in Ukraine, on the condition that they take into account “gender characteristics,” an idea the government finds difficult to explain.

• Read also: Military spending: Justin Trudeau must defend his record

During his visit to Kiev on Monday to mark the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed $3.02 billion in financial and military aid for 2024.

Among the funded projects, we find $4 million paid to HALO Trust, a non-governmental organization that clears mines around the world.

This amount is supposed to enable financing “gender-sensitive demining activities for a sustainable future in Ukraine,” in particular through “the establishment of a working group on gender equality and diversity to strengthen gender-transformative mine action in Ukraine.” This was stated in a brief document published by the Prime Minister's Office.

Another envelope containing $1.5 million will be delivered to the International Center for Humanitarian Demining in Geneva, again to “implement effective mine action operations that take into account gender specificities.”

Asked by QMI on Monday, the Prime Minister’s Office remained unable, 48 hours later, to explain what constitutes “gender-sensitive demining activities.”

It should be noted that another demining project, funded with $2.4 million, aims to maintain a fleet of 12 remote-controlled demining systems, which Canada provided in 2023. There is no gender concept associated with this funding.