Hello friends and happy International Women’s Day!

Today, we celebrate the women and girls around us.

Our friends, our family members, and our colleagues.

This day is about celebrating you and your achievements.

Canada has so many incredible trailblazers who’ve shown us that actions, big and small, can drive positive change.

And it’s because of you we’ve taken significant steps towards gender equality. 

It’s because of you we’re investing in a range of women’s organizations that are doing essential work on the ground.

It’s because of you we created more flexible parental leave.

It’s because of you we introduced proactive pay equity legislation for federally regulated workers.

And it’s because of you we’ve made historic investments in girls’ education and sexual and reproductive health rights around the world.

But we know there’s much more to do.

Women and girls continue to experience unacceptable rates of gender-based violence.

Women are still fighting for pay equity.

And even in 2020, a woman’s fundamental right to choose what she wants to do with her own body gets called into question.

We also know that Indigenous women, racialized women, and women with disabilities, experience different forms of inequality and discrimination.  

These are major challenges that won’t disappear on their own.

That’s why we have to keep asking ourselves what we can all do to support women and non-binary people to build a more just and equal future for everyone. 

In our homes, in our communities, and in our workplaces, every single one of us has a role to play in making sure everyone’s rights are equally protected, and everyone’s voice is heard.

So not just today, but every day, let us celebrate women’s achievements, and let’s keep pushing for progress so we can all reach our full potential.

Because when women and girls succeed, we all do.