“Our democracy is stronger when it reflects the people it serves. Since Agnes Macphail became the first woman elected to the House of Commons more than 100 years ago, women have won voting rights, property rights, reproductive rights, and parental leave. This progress was achieved because, again and again, women have refused to accept a system that did not see them, hear them, or reflect them.

That is why Canada’s new government is advancing the programs that ensure women are at the forefront of leadership and building a stronger Canadian economy. We renewed funding for Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) to ensure stable and ongoing resources to promote women’s full and meaningful economic participation. This includes funding for the Women’s Program, which has reached more than 400,000 women through mentorship, training programs, and job opportunities. Additionally, through WAGE’s Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund, we are advancing projects that address barriers to women’s economic participation and success. So far, over 160 organisations across Canada have received funding, including those in Northern communities.

There can be no equality – and no prosperity – without safety. We are strengthening our response to preventing gender-based violence by bringing forward legislation that protects and empowers victims to seek justice in our legal systems. We are also moving forward on responding to the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. We will always protect the inalienable right of all Canadians to live in freedom, safety, and dignity.

On International Women’s Day, as we reflect on how far we’ve come, we remain vigilant about what we must protect, and we remain determined about accomplishing the work ahead. That is our job as a government, and as Canadians.”