Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you and the Premier have mentioned, today is the 102nd International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day is annually held on March 8th to celebrate women’s achievement throughout history and across nations. It is also known as the United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.
On this day, we all need to spread the message of women’s empowerment to our friends, family and the men in our lives. It’s a day that connects women around the world and celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. It is a day to celebrate the women in our lives and our communities, to honour the advances women have made, but at the same time remember the need for continued action to ensure that the equality fought for and gained by women who have passed before us is maintained in all aspects of our society.
To quote an old advertising slogan: “We’ve come a long way, baby.” But I must echo a quote I heard this morning on the radio: “Much has been accomplished, but much is still to be done.”
Of the world’s 1.3 billion poor people, nearly 70 percent are women. Between 75 and 80 percent of the world’s 27 million refugees are women and children, and of the world’s nearly 130 million children who are not in school, two-thirds are girls. On average, women earn between 30 to 40 percent less pay than men for the same work. Women also continue to be victims of violence. Rape and domestic violence are significant causes of disability and death among women worldwide.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum. This theme reflects the belief that increasing women’s participation and access to leadership roles and opportunities will help women and girls thrive, reach their full potential and fulfill their dreams, and in doing so they will change our world for the better.
As mentioned by the Premier, we honour five NWT wise women today, who each, in their own way, have contributed to changing our world for the better. Congratulations to that formidable group of women, and let’s use this day to get fired up about women’s rights and empowerment, use this day to promote change in the lives of women all over the world.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to rise today, too, and recognize International Women’s Day. I’d like to congratulate the five recipients of the Wise Women Awards this year. Like my colleagues, I’d like to talk about the politics and ladies in politics. Obviously, we have two Members here, Jane Groenewegen and Wendy Bisaro. Good examples for the youth of today’s Northwest Territories.
I’d also like to recognize two members of my town council: Donna Lee Jungkind and Kandis Jameson, who also are striving to put women into politics and make sure that there’s a good balance there. Like my friend Mr. Moses indicated, they do provide a good balance. Obviously, often good voices of reason.
As we look towards getting equality, we need to look at some of the people out there. Like, we had Danica Patrick make the pole at the Indy 500 for the first time ever. We have to look at this, but this is the problem. They are the exceptions. They are the leaders, but they are the minorities. We need to make sure that equality gets into these areas. I would like to encourage all the youth, all the lady youth out there to make sure that they can strive to do whatever you want to do. You can do it out there.
One of the other things that I’d like to recognize today is this weekend there’s an event going on, The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too, an example of ladies in the aviation industry can fly too. I’d like to encourage people to get out to that.
I’d also like to thank my mother and three sisters who raised me and made me the man I am today. In thinking about all the women in our lives, we have a new doctor, Dr. Boudreau, who signed on this week, and I’d like to welcome her to Hay River. We’re looking forward to seeing her and many more doctors in Hay River.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
