Speaking Notes for the Honourable Helena Guergis, P.C., M.P. Minister of State (Status of Women)on the occasion of a Welcome-Back Reception for Women Parliamentarians and an announcement of funding to Equal Voice/À voix égales

Feburary 4, 2009

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Parliamentarians, special guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is my sincere pleasure to be here, to welcome my women colleagues back to Parliament, and to announce this Government's support for Equal Voice/À voix égales.

It's good to be back!  As Equal Voice puts it:  "A woman's place is in the House!…the House of Commons, that is."

Since February is Black History Month, I would like to start by recognizing the late Rosemary Brown, a great Canadian woman leader.

On February 2nd, Canada Post issued a stamp in her honour – truly a worthy commemoration!  Among her many accomplishments, Rosemary Brown became the first Black woman elected to public office in Canada when she joined the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in 1972.

Many years earlier, Agnes Macphail became the first woman in Canada elected to the House of Commons.  What began in 1921 with just one woman member of Parliament has grown to 68 women in the House of Commons today – and is growing strong!

We have come a long way from the Parliament of 1921, which must have been a tense and sometimes precarious work environment for a woman.  Today, the House of Commons is a place where the lives and contributions of Canadian women are valued and respected.

In fact, the current Parliament has the highest number of women ever.  And with 11 women in a 38-member Cabinet, this Government boasts the highest proportion of women ministers in Cabinet.

As Minister of State (Status of Women), I have an abiding belief in the tremendous potential of girls and young women in Canada.  It was during my own formative years that I began to develop the self-confidence I needed to pursue a career in politics.  I continue to believe in the power of women's leadership to shape a better future for us all. 

As an organization dedicated to electing more women to every level of government in Canada, Equal Voice/À voix égales is advancing women's leadership.  They've conducted research and examined global experiences, all of which prove that strategic early intervention is vital to sustainable gender equality in public office.

What Equal Voice/À voix égales has found is that reaching out to girls between 12 to 18 years of age has the greatest, most positive impact on their likelihood of civic engagement in adult life.

I heartily agree.  That is why I am so pleased today to announce funding from the Women's Program of Status of Women Canada (SWC) to this important national organization.

Equal Voice/À voix égales will receive $1,208,404 over 28 months for Experiences, a partnership project that will increase the democratic participation of girls and young women by:

• introducing girls aged 12 to 18 and young women aged 18 to 25 to positive role models and mentors; and
• nurturing their political literacy and inspiring them to become political leaders in the future.

Thanks to Equal Voice/À voix égales, some 5,800 girls and young women will witness the challenges and rewards women in senior leadership positions experience.  They'll be mentored and inspired to pursue civic engagement.  They'll gain stronger leadership and decision-making skills, and they'll develop democratic and political literacy.

I'd like to thank the project partners, a number of whom have joined us this evening, for their shared commitment to this project.

Donna Dasko, we are delighted to be working with Equal Voice, its board of directors, and with Françoise Gagnon, your Executive Director.  We have enjoyed excellent collaboration in the development of this project.

Special thanks are due to Dawn Graham, the President of Merck Frosst, who is not only a sponsor of this evening's event but is also a Premium Sponsor for this project.

It also gives me great pleasure to thank CANARIE, the Media Awareness Network, the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Girl Guides of Canada/Guides du Canada, Historica, the Antigone Foundation, Canadian Women in Communications, YWCA Canada, TakingITGlobal and the Canadian Teachers' Federation, for their involvement in this project.

In short, as we advance this important project with our partners, girls and young women will be better equipped with the tools for leadership and schooled in the language of success.

Now, more than ever before – especially in these times of economic uncertainty – the Government of Canada remains committed to advancing equality for women and their full participation in all aspects of Canadian life.

In our Economic Action Plan, Budget 2009, our Government set out a multi-year plan that takes a balanced approach to stimulate economic growth, restore confidence, and support all Canadians, including women and their families.  This support is a continuation of the measures and programs we are making available through Status of Women Canada.

We all share a passion for democratic engagement.

By coming together here today, we are building success – for women, for girls, for everyone.  In the words of Her Worship Charlotte Whitton, the first woman elected as mayor of a major Canadian city, right here in Ottawa:  "We all have ability.  The difference is how we use it."

Wise words.  May they inspire us, knowing that together, we are helping young women and girls in Canada make the most of their abilities by becoming agents of change for a better society.

Thank you. 

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