Thank you for that introduction, and thank you for inviting me to join you at this outstanding event! It is great to see so many members of the community here together in celebration of International Women’s Day and I thank the organizers for all of your efforts.

International Women’s Day, and Women’s week, is a time where Canadians celebrate progress toward equality for women and their full participation in all aspects of our country’s fabric.

It is also a time where future steps are considered.

I was asked to speak to you today about Equal Opportunity and Equal Rights for women but it is really Equal Opportunity where I would like to focus most of my remarks.

In Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms there are two sections that deal with gender equality:

The first is section 15.(1)  that says: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.”

The second says that Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.

Now our government supports and encourages the full participation of women in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada. We continue to place a particular emphasis on increasing women’s economic security and on the elimination of violence against women.

Canadian women have made enormous strides. Prime Minister Harper appointed the highest percentage of women in Cabinet in Canadian history. Women are also increasing their participation in other aspects of Canadian life.

Currently women make up the majority of full time students in most university faculties.
The labour force participation for working age women has risen from 68.2 percent to 74.3 percent over the past decade. In 2007 women made up 35% of all self employed individuals.
And last fall, Stats Canada reported that in the first 6 months of 2009 women outnumbered men in the work force for the first time ever at 50.9%.

I am proud to say that our Fairness for the self employed legislation which just came into effect this year will provide even greater choices for women entrepreneurs who wish to start a family.

One area that women still fall behind in however is in leadership positions, especially in politics.
That is why over the last while we have put into place actions to encourage women and girls to participate more fully in leadership roles, thereby helping them to thrive and reach their full potential. We need more women involved in the House of Commons, in every provincial and territorial legislature and city or town hall.

Because public policy decisions affect every aspect of our life – the way we live, our employment opportunities, the schools we attend, the roads we drive on, the buildings we live in, and even the quality of the air we breathe.

So it is vitally important that our voices – the voices of girls and women -- be heard – loud and clear -- in all of these places.

To help us achieve that goal, our government supports the work being done by the group Equal Voice and especially a program they have developed called the Experiences Program.  This program invites girls and young women who want to become actively involved in political and democratic issues to interact with mentors from all levels of government and business and across all party lines.

The research and consultations carried out by Equal Voice show that one of the most effective ways to achieve the goal of having more women involved in public life is to start talking to them about it when they are young.

I am proud to say that I am participating in that program as an MP mentor, and I have a wonderful young lady who is volunteering her time in my Ottawa office.

Looking back, it is hard to believe that women in Quebec could not even vote or run for political office until 1940. It is even harder to imagine that Aboriginal women living on reserves could not vote until the early 1960’s. Today we can celebrate great progress, particularly achievements over the course of the past twenty or thirty years.  Having 67 women MPs or roughly 22% may seem outstanding.

However I believe, as does our government, that there is still much more that we can do.
Today as women and girls look to the future of Canada and think about changing the shape of our democracy, we need to encourage women to get involved and to assume roles as leaders in civic life.


I also want to take this opportunity to tell you a little about the work performed by the Status of Women.  Firstly, I am proud to announce to you that I have just been appointed to serve on the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women, a great honour and privilege indeed. Status of Women Canada (SWC) is a federal government organization that promotes the full participation of women in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada.

The Status of Women is responsible for ensuring that gender dimensions are taken into account in the development of policies and programs - by conducting gender-based analysis and supporting research. The Women's Program and its two components, the Women's Community Fund and the Women's Partnership Fund that is administered by the Status of Women, play a vital role in supporting the work of women's and other Canadian organizations.

Recently, the mandate of the Women's Program was revised as follows: "to advance the equality of women across Canada through the improvement of their economic and social conditions and their participation in democratic life."

The objective of the program was changed to the following: "to achieve the full participation of women in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada."

For the Women's Partnership Fund, these changes came into effect in January 2008. For the Women's Community Fund, the changes came into effect as of April 2008.

But it is at the community level – such as right here in Newmarket at Upper Canada Mall – where the greatest impact will take place. By all of us taking on leadership within our own circles, by collaborating together and assisting where we can.

By changing the narrative to a “Can Do” attitude at all times, we will continue on to a place where opportunity for all is a reality.

Thank you.

Lois Brown, M.P.