Hon. Rose-May Poirier: Honourable senators, I rise today to recognize and celebrate International Women’s Day, a celebration that is shared by women all around the world.

International Women’s Day is a chance to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women, past, present and future. It is an occasion as well to remind and reinforce the important value of equity that we hold dear in Canada and one which we try to help to progress across the world.

[Translation]

The Government of Canada’s theme for International Women’s Day 2023 is “Every Woman Counts.”

To celebrate this year’s theme, I would like to tell you about some women from New Brunswick who exemplify the values of International Women’s Day and who represent three points in time: the past, present and future.

Émilie C. LeBlanc, an Acadian known as Marichette, was truly ahead of her time. Born in Memramcook in 1863 and a teacher by profession, she published a series of letters in the newspaper L’Évangéline under the pseudonym Marichette to denounce social injustice against Acadians and women and stand up for their rights, including the right to be heard, the right to education and the right to vote.

She was not afraid to speak her mind, as we can see from a letter in which she said that women were just dying to go to the polls to show seniors how to vote.

[English]

As for inspiring women of today, I just need to look around at the leaders in my community of Kent County. We’ve had amazing leaders such as Danielle Dugas, who was the first woman mayor in Saint-Louis-de-Kent. When I ran to be a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, an MLA, 24 years ago, I was asked if Kent was ready for a woman to be their member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. Today, I can say women are certainly ready. For example, during my second term, the municipality of Rogersville was a great example of the progress that we had made. At that time, I, as the local MLA, myself a woman, served alongside Rogersville Mayor Pierrette Robichaud, also a female, and members of the local RCMP detachment — all women in that municipality.

Since 2021, the Government of New Brunswick has awarded the Minister’s Award for Excellence in Championing Gender Equality. The award was created as a way to highlight and acknowledge New Brunswick individuals who are forging paths and advancing equality. One of the awards is dedicated to youth champions: Vera Chen in 2022 and Emma Coakley in 2021. They both demonstrate remarkable values of inclusivity: in music for Vera Chen, and on living with a disability for Emma Coakley. These are important initiatives and acknowledgements to symbolize and strengthen our values as a society.

[Translation]

Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 21st century, women began to make progress, going from having to publish under a pseudonym when demanding change to paving the way for change, both for their communities and for future generations of women.

Honourable senators, please join me in recognizing the tremendous work that has been done. May the journey towards progress continue.

Thank you.

Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard: Honourable senators, I rise today to celebrate International Women’s Day. The theme this year is #EmbraceEquity. This is a day dedicated to the celebration of women’s achievements while also acting as a call to action in the pursuit of gender equity.

The first step toward gender equity in the Senate began when the first woman was appointed in 1930. Today I see many of my colleagues with diverse, intersecting identities. I see many of my colleagues who have achieved firsts, which indicates that we are just starting out with gender equity in the Senate.

For example, Senator Mobina Jaffer was the first Muslim appointed to the Senate. Senator Yonah Martin was the first Canadian senator of Korean origin. The first Haitian-Canadian woman named to the Senate was Senator Marie-Françoise Mégie. Our recently retired colleague Senator Sandra Lovelace Nicholas was the first Indigenous woman from Atlantic Canada to serve in the Senate. Senator Yvonne Boyer is the first Indigenous senator from Ontario.

There are senators here who have celebrated firsts outside of this chamber. Senator Pat Duncan was the first woman to serve as premier of the Yukon. Senator Bernadette Clement was the first Black woman to serve as a mayor in Ontario. Senator Sharon Burey was the first Black woman to serve as president of the Pediatricians Alliance of Ontario. Senator Gigi Osler was the first racialized woman elected as president of the Canadian Medical Association. I could go on. There are many more impressive achievements, and I have only had time here to name a small selection.

It is so very important for young people to see diverse women participating in positions of power and influence. It inspires them to lead in their own communities.

Honourable senators, I invite you all to join me on this International Women’s Day in celebrating the achievements of all women as we continue our journey toward equality and equity. I wish a happy International Women’s Day to all our colleagues here in the Senate. Asante, thank you.

[Translation]