44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 8, 2023 02:00PM
- Mar/8/23 2:07:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on this International Women's Day, we continue to be inspired by all women who show us what it means to be strong, brave and courageous, especially in the face of adversity. Today, let us acknowledge what women around the world have taught us: fighting for what is right and never giving up, from the bravery of Iranian women and the schoolgirls who were poisoned to the resilience of the Ukrainian and Canadian women in the armed forces and women’s achievements in engineering, science, innovation and other sectors.
As we continue to remember these great women today, I also want to thank the women working in health care, especially in personal support care, and frontline workers. During the Prime Minister’s visit to SEIU Healthcare in Richmond Hill two weeks ago, we heard heartbreaking, fascinating, encouraging and inspiring stories about the resilience and compassion of our personal support workers. They love their job, and the happiness they see in the faces of the people they care for makes them even more passionate about their job.
Today, and every day, we celebrate women, their courage and bravery, their compassion and kindness. I wish them a happy International Women's Day.
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- Mar/8/23 2:09:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today is International Women's Day. I am proud to be part of a government that has made, and continues to make, meaningful strides toward gender equality each and every day.
This is a government that has legislated pay equity, adopted Canada's first-ever federal 2SLGBTQI+ action plan, and introduced a national child care framework. This is a government that continues to work with survivors to end the national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and ensures that a gender-based lens is applied to everything we do. We have come so far in the fight for gender equality, but we cannot stop here.
Today, and every day, we raise awareness against bias, and we acknowledge women making a difference in the world, big and small. We remind ourselves and those around us that all women, from all ages and all walks of life, have a place in every aspect of our country. Every woman counts.
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- Mar/8/23 2:10:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on this International Women’s Day, we need to reiterate an unfortunate truth, and that is that women's rights are never guaranteed and we need to remain vigilant.
In many parts of the world, such as Iran and Afghanistan, there is a real gender apartheid, and it would be a mistake to use cultural relativism to rationalize it. Even in the United States, abortion rights have recently been compromised. We must not make the mistake of believing that we are immune to such backsliding in Quebec and Canada.
The best defence against backsliding is, of course, the political commitment of many strong women who are determined to stand their ground. We also need to fully support certain principles that protect the rights of women, bearing in mind that secularism is a friend to women, all women, anywhere in the world where such an approach is taken. Women's place is everywhere. The fight to promote and protect their rights is always being waged. It must be waged by each and every one of us.
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- Mar/8/23 2:11:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today is International Women's Day. I would like to take a moment to recognize the woman with whom I have shared my life for the past 29 years. I thank her for being who she is and for allowing me to be the man that I am.
I believe that every day is International Women's Day. That is why I want to pay tribute to the contributions of female nurses, teachers, mechanics, politicians, hockey players, police officers, engineers and those of all women who shape our daily lives.
Although advances have been made, gender equity remains a collective goal. As Gloria Steinem said so well, the human race is like a bird with two wings, men and women, and if one wing is broken, the bird cannot fly.
I invite my colleagues to join me in telling the women and girls around us about the positive impact they have on our lives.
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- Mar/8/23 2:13:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on International Women's Day, Canadians across the country come together to celebrate the incredible women who build this country and who have built it over the centuries. Whether it is fighting for civil rights, like Viola Desmond, or leading Canada to gold medal glory, like Christine Sinclair, women have played an essential role in crafting our story.
I also think of lesser-known but equally important people, like Tracy MacDonald in Nova Scotia, who dropped out of high school but then returned and succeeded, and now dedicates her life to helping similarly disadvantaged women.
I think of the mother who had me, the mother who adopted me, the wife who agreed for some reason we do not understand to marry me, and of course the daughter who makes my life so much worth living.
Every day, in every way, there is more work to be done to improve equality and opportunity for women, but today is an opportunity for all of us to thank the women in our lives who built our country, and all around the world, for whom we must fight to advance opportunity and equality.
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- Mar/8/23 2:15:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every woman counts. On this International Women’s Day, I would like to have the women in my life be counted. I stand where I am today because of women role models and male allies: my Erin Mills Women’s Council's strong leadership toward the empowerment of women and the tackling of our most pressing social issues daily; my mother, my bebey, whose support has provided me with the opportunities and tools to succeed in giving back to my community; my BFF, Reema Zuberi, who is always keeping it real.
Today, I reinforce my commitment to work even harder to ensure that women have the opportunity to achieve their full potential, and that everyone benefits from empowering women and empowered women.
Here is to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.
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- Mar/8/23 2:16:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today the world comes together in celebration of International Women's Day. On this day, we recognize the social, economic and political achievements of women. It also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.
These past years have had a disproportionate impact on women, including an increase in domestic violence and sexual assaults, job insecurity, and challenges of work-life balance for mothers, daughters, sisters and caregivers.
We continue to voice our concerns for those women whose voices have been shut down, intimidated and silenced, vulnerable women and girls who have been sexually exploited and trafficked, and victims of abuse and crime. We fight for equality and freedom of speech for those protesting in Iran, and we stand in solidarity with the women in Afghanistan. We remind women and young girls today, and every day, that their dream is within reach and they are able to make a difference in the world.
I wish them a happy International Women's Day.
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- Mar/8/23 2:20:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today we are celebrating International Women's Day. We have come a long way. There are now over 100 women sitting in the House.
Women around the world stand together, bound by a deep sense of gratitude to the brave women who faced adversity to defend our rights. Today, we can be proud to live in a country that allows women to work and care for their families, implements policies that give them child care, lifts women out of poverty and invests in shelters for women fleeing violence.
According to the World Bank, more than 2.4 billion women are not afforded equal economic opportunities. Women's rights are not just about money. Women's rights are about dignity and opportunity.
We must be vigilant, however, because global and national movements are threatening women's rights. They threaten the right to choose. This is about preserving the rights gained and extending them to all women. That is my wish on this International Women's Day.
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- Mar/8/23 2:25:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on this International Women's Day, I would like to pay tribute to the women of Dignity International, a Canadian not-for-profit organization with the mission of empowering women, youth and families. Its 3,100 members can be found across Canada, with the majority located in Ontario. It has received numerous awards for its grassroots community support and development.
The organization established a presence in Kitchener a mere two years ago, and it has since grown to 104 members. It is an example of the tremendous work it is accomplishing in improving lives by reducing poverty among low-income families, people in shelters and homeless persons in community living. Through various outreaches in training, sports, food banks, empowerment skills for women, youth development and many others, this organization is making a real difference in the lives of so many. I wish to thank the women of Dignity International for their contribution, dedication and service in enriching our community and communities all across Canada.
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- Mar/8/23 2:51:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that even as we celebrate International Women's Day today, trans women in particular are facing extraordinarily dangerous degrees of hate and violent acts. That is why we continue to reinforce that everyone has the right to live free from violence.
Since 2015, we have taken real action to end gender-based violence in our communities by developing our first federal strategy to prevent gender-based violence and making historic investments to prevent and end gender-based violence. We know we have much more to do, including to protect trans women, and we will do that.
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- Mar/8/23 3:25:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
Today is International Women's Day, and as the member for Scarborough—Agincourt asked her question of the Prime Minister and he was responding, the member for South Shore—St. Margarets yelled at the member for Scarborough—Agincourt, “She deserves a participation medal.”
Undermining the presence of women in the House, especially on this day, is absolutely abhorrent.
Every woman has fought to be in this place and every woman deserves to be in this place, and I ask the member to retract that comment.
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- Mar/8/23 3:26:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my comment is going to be very simple. We have all fought hard to be here. Regardless of gender, we have all fought hard, or the majority of us have, I should say.
I am listening to this and it is very dishonouring. It goes both ways, and I would like to say that, on International Women's Day, let us be respectful to all.
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- Mar/8/23 3:26:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 30% of the number of seats in the House are held by women. We are not there yet.
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