Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. This is a day to honour and celebrate the women in our lives. It's a day to stand up for the achievements in equality made by the women who have gone before us, but clearly we haven't done enough.

So today must also be a day to renew our commitment to gender equity. It's a demonstrated fact that better decisions are made when there are women at the table. Our government will be better, stronger, more responsive, and capable, if this Assembly stands to support more women as leaders.

Mr. Speaker, I am here to make a difference. I want to support the women among us to participate in that goal. Let's start here and now by each one of us committing to a different future, a more inclusive Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker