“March 8th, we celebrate International Women’s Day – a day that goes beyond awareness and calls us to reflect on the remarkable progress we have made as women and as a society. It is a time to honour the courage, resilience, and determination that has driven change across generations.
“We celebrate the breakthroughs that once seemed impossible, the hardships that tested our strength, and the victories, both big and small, that continue to shape our path forward. Across every profession and every corner of the world, women have come together in solidarity to redefined leadership, innovation, equality, and excellence.
“We not only celebrate how far we have come – we recommit ourselves to building a future where opportunity, equity, and empowerment are realities for all women and girls. I am incredibly proud to be part of the New Democratic Party team that made history this election, becoming the first party to have 51% of our candidates be women. We don’t just believe in equity – we demonstrate it through action every single day.
“Even with the work that is constantly being done to address the inadequacies and inequalities still faced by women across the board, misogyny continues to surface – subtle in some spaces, blatant in others. Women are still judged on their appearance before their abilities, their tone before their talent, and their choices before their character. We are scrutinized for being too ambitious or not ambitious enough, too assertive or too soft, too present or too absent. The standards shift, yet the criticism remains.
“Here in Newfoundland and Labrador, I will continue to champion women and gender equity with unwavering determination. This means fighting for strong and effective pay equity legislation, advocating for intimate partner and gender-based violence to be recognized and addressed as the epidemic it is, and driving meaningful progress in women’s health. I will push for real investments in affordable childcare, ensuring parents can return to the workforce while maintaining financial stability for their families.
“Women do not ask for a seat at the table as a favor. Women belong at the table. And we will continue working until equality, safety, and opportunity are not aspirations, but realities.”