Hello, everybody!

Hi, we hope you’re all doing well.

And Happy International Women’s Day!

Women and girls are changing the world every day.

Indigenous women, trans women, women of every background, origin, sexual orientation, or age, women with disabilities, women in every community here in Canada – and around the world.

We honour your power and your leadership.

Today is about celebrating the accomplishments of women everywhere.

It’s about the women who challenge norms, lift up others, and change our country for the better every single day.

You know, as a couple and as parents, we’ve made sure our kids understand that not one person is more important than another.

Neither Justin nor I are afraid to label ourselves as feminists.

And although many feminists in our country have broken down barriers and paved the way, and brought us to where we are today, we have to continue to build on their work.

And that takes place in our everyday lives.

This goes beyond the economic benefits it creates.

This is about young women everywhere in our country.

It’s about making sure they grow up in a world where they can do and be anything they dream of.

And everyone has a role to play in making that a reality.

It’s especially important right now when women are bearing the brunt of the impacts of COVID-19, and we face a she-cession.

We know women, in particular racialized and marginalized women, have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

They have shared their stories with me, and this pandemic threatens to roll back the progress we’ve made.

We simply cannot let that happen, and we won’t let that happen.

If you’ve lost your job, or if you can’t afford childcare, or if you’re staying at home to take care of your kids or if you’ve experienced gender-based violence in your own home, we want you to know that there is a path forward.

And to truly heal and come out of this pandemic stronger, we must have a feminist approach to our recovery.

As a government we’re committed to that.

And that’s why we’re creating an Action Plan for Women in the Economy and a Canada-wide early learning and childcare system – so we can get women back into the workforce
and make life more affordable for your family.

And because we know that not every home is a safe place to be, we’re providing support to women’s shelters and sexual assault centres across Canada, and we will continue to invest in programs that prevent family violence and support survivors.

You know, my husband and I are lucky to have an opportunity to use our voices to bring change.

But we’re speaking to you today as partners, as a mom and as a dad, and as friends, and we want you to know that we can’t do this without you.

We all hold the key – through our words, our daily actions, and our dreams – to build a better country, a better Canada, and to make sure that our kids and grandkids have a solid foundation to build on.

We can and we must work together – as partners and as allies – to achieve gender equality.

We need your help, because the reality is that we won’t be able to do this without you.

And all of this, friends, starts now.

Happy International Women’s Day.

We love you.