Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, March 8th, today, is International Women’s Day. Traditionally, International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made in the areas of women’s political and social rights, a time to call for change and a time to celebrate acts of courage and determination of ordinary women who play an extraordinary role in creating strong and healthy communities.

The national theme for this year’s event is, “You are Here - Women, Canada and the World.” The national theme urges us to pause and take stock of exactly where women are as a group today. There have been substantial advances for women in civil rights in the ninety-some years, since Women’s Day became an international event, two notable dates for women’s civil rights in Canadian history are 1920, when Ottawa extended the right to vote to certain Canadian women over 21, but not aboriginal women. Aboriginal women had to wait until 1960 for the right to vote when the Canadian Bill of Rights received Royal Assent. Today, there are still nations where women have yet the right to participate politically.

Yesterday, in Kuwait, hundreds of women protested in the streets demanding their right to vote and run for parliament. Civil rights are important, Mr. Speaker, but they do not guarantee that conditions for women will improve. Although women in the NWT have equal rights to participate politically, the extension of a right does little to provide equal access. Right here in this Assembly, Mr. Speaker, there are only two women and there are no women in Cabinet.

Mr. Speaker, the national theme, “You are Here - Women, Canada and the World” also speaks to the grassroots character of the work that is done to improve the status of women. Real change is never handed down. Real change begins with the effort women put into improving conditions for women right here in our own communities.

In honour of National Women’s Day, I want to recognize the extraordinary efforts of women who take up grassroots leadership roles. These are the women who are leaders in the frontline jobs traditionally occupied by women, such as nursing, teaching, counselling and parenting. But these are also women who choose to enter fields that have been traditionally dominated by men, such as trades and politics.

So, Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to the women who were recognized as the wise women in the Northwest Territories. Their names are Ruth Wright, Tonya Cazon, Helen Tobie, Alphonsine McNeely, and Sister Agnes Sutherland. Congratulations to these strong, wise women. Thank you.

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