Archived and Outdated Information: This publication is out of date and should be referenced for research or recordkeeping purposes only. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. On October 30, 1996 the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced the establishment of a new Canadian Peace building Initiative as well as the creation of a new peacekeeping fund ($10 million annually). Although Canada has been an international leader in the evolvement of the concept and practice of peacekeeping, the concept of Peace building is relatively new to Canadians and the international community alike. As a result, many aspects of Peace building have yet to be determined. This paper will address one essential aspect of Peace building that has hereto been neglected; gender. In light of a number of recent experiences in Rwanda and Guatemala, as well as the growing literature on the importance of gender in development processes, it will be argued that women play a critical role in the reconstruction of their countries. Moreover, given Canada's experience in peacekeeping, gender and development, and human rights, Canada is well placed to advance an integrative model of Peace building that will effectively respond to the needs of a reconstructing nation.