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House Hansard - 247

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 6, 2023 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 247 - Nov/6/23
Ms. Leah Taylor Roy (Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, Lib.)
  • Nov/6/23 2:09:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about an important issue that affects women and girls. It is an issue that is often shrouded in silence and shame: period poverty. It is the lack of access to sanitary products and facilities that prevent women and girls from participating in essential activities, like attending school, and has a profound impact on their futures. In Canada alone, 34% of women and girls have had to give up something else in their budget in order to afford menstrual products. Today, I would like to highlight a champion: Yanique Brandford, founder and executive director of Help A Girl Out. Her reusable pad program is relieving period poverty sustainably. HAGO works with grassroots organizations, such as Compassionate York Region in my riding, that sew these reusable pads. Yanique has incredible community support. I was recently at a fundraiser. The federal Liberal government also helps, and I am so proud of that. Period poverty is a barrier to female prosperity that needs to be addressed. I thank Yanique for tackling this global problem responsibly.
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