Sonia Sidhu, Member of Parliament for Brampton South, issued the following statement on International Women's Day:

March 8, 2022 – Brampton

“This year's theme for International Women’s Day is Women Inspiring Women. I am thinking of the hard working women from all walks of life in our community, who have stepped up over the course of the pandemic. Whether it was female entrepreneurs, mothers taking care of their children during virtual school or female frontline workers, women have felt the impacts of COVID-19, particularly women of colour.

Women-led organizations and businesses in our community are helping build a better, safer, and more inclusive Brampton, today and everyday. Now is the time to make sure everyone has a fair chance to succeed and gender equality will only be achieved if we all move forward together. 

I am also thinking about the brave Ukrainian women who are defending their country against Russia’s invasion. Our government stands in solidarity with these incredibly strong individuals. 

As the Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, I have heard from many witnesses about the hardships women continue to face. We are currently studying intimate partner and domestic violence in Canada and it has been disheartening to hear such heartbreaking stories. But together, we need to keep pushing to ​​create a world free from discrimination, bias, and break down the stigmas projected towards women and girls.

As a country, we have made progress, but there will always be more to do to protect and empower our mothers, sisters and daughters. That is why we remain focused on working with the Government of Ontario to reach an agreement for $10-a-day early learning and child care. It will support parents and children across the country and offer each child in Canada the best possible start in life. It will empower women and increase participation in the workforce.

On this International Women’s Day, I encourage everyone to learn and reflect about how we can advance gender equality. Everyone has a role to play in creating a stronger, fairer and more equal Canada, because when women succeed, we all succeed."

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