Statement made on 10 March 2009 by Senator Rose-Marie Losier-Cool
Hon. Rose-Marie Losier-Cool:
Honourable senators, Sunday, March 8 was International Women's Day. We often hear that a little over half of the world's population is female, but it does not hurt to hear it again. However, we rarely get our fair share, even here in Canada. I will not go into detail about recent controversies involving pay equity or Status of Women Canada's shifting mandate. I would rather focus on women in politics.
Women tend to have a high level of community and social awareness, perhaps because we have a role as caregivers and educators. Women's openness makes their active participation in the political life of their cities, regions, provinces and countries desirable. Since arriving in the Senate — and well before then, when I was a teacher — I have seen many examples of the positive impact of women in public life.
We can think of the success of social policies in Sweden and socio-economic evolution in Rwanda, two countries that are leading the way in female political representation. Societies in other countries, for example, Morocco, Mauritania, Spain and Cambodia, also benefit from women's influence in politics.
Yes, we still have a long way to go to achieve equality with men. That is a fact almost everywhere on earth.
But I have hope, honourable senators. I have hope because women in politics do so much to help their sisters understand, defend and demand their rights so that they can improve their lives and contribute to their societies.
Take, for example, the work of the Réseau des femmes de l'Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, which I am honoured to chair.
For several years now, our APF network has, among other things, organized seminars in various countries to raise awareness among parliamentarians, both male and female, of the provisions in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Once they understand, these parliamentarians can inform local populations of their rights, shape regional and national legislation, and, ultimately, make things better and more equal for women.
And so I wish all of my sisters, whether or not they are parliamentarians, every success in all their efforts to attain that equality, and I promise them that I will continue to do everything in my power to support them.