Status of Women committee  Thank you for that wonderful question. Quebec in many ways has led the country in innovative ways of dealing with menstrual equity and period poverty. For example, offering vouchers that can be redeemed by citizens in multiple cities and municipalities is one idea. One of my main asks coming out of today's meeting is calling on each of you as members of Parliament to pass a resolution to find inclusive and sustainable solutions to period poverty.

Status of Women committee  Thank you very much for that question. This is an issue that we've given a great deal of thought to at Aisle in particular, but I know we're not alone in this. It's an approach we call “user-centred” access: As a first step, we first consider where the people are who need menstrual products, as opposed to this model of bathroom access only—which, of course, we acknowledge is essential.

Status of Women committee  Social media has been a wonderful tool. I would commend the United Way and I would commend The Period Purse for really conveying the message that menstrual products are about so much more than just cleaning up a mess or solving a problem: This is about jobs, about education, about a future in which youth will be able to fully participate in life.

Status of Women committee  I do see it that way, personally. Yes, I do.

Status of Women committee  These are amazing times that we're living in. I've been working on this issue for 30 years. I come from a place where nobody wanted to talk about it, and there was no question that you would have to pay for a menstrual product in a bathroom, if you were lucky enough to find one there.

Status of Women committee  Thank you so much for this question. Funding to support women entrepreneurs is always necessary in order to drive innovation in the country. In SMEC, we have some incredible examples. I've been active on this issue and have been developing reusable products since 1993. Aisle was one of the first companies in the entire world, not just in Canada, to truly pioneer reusable products in a general sense.

Status of Women committee  Yes, I would, but I would also argue that we already have the products. We are already doing this. I think the innovation that's required is around distribution and access. We have fantastic products, but a lot of people.... On this bathroom-only solution, we need to think beyond that and diversify accessibility for people for whom that is just not a reality.

Status of Women committee  That's a wonderful question. We're excited about this initiative. The things we would love to see, as SMEC, would include, in part, a commitment to sustainability as well as, as I mentioned, some directive around procurement, ideally inclusive of Canadian women-led small and medium-sized businesses.

Status of Women committee  Good morning, everybody. My name is Madeleine Shaw. I'm joining you today from Vancouver and the unceded traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. I'd like to thank the committee for this study on menstrual equality and recognizing the need to address period poverty.

Status of Women committee  The Sustainable Menstrual Equity in Canada Coalition, SMEC, is composed of three women-led Canadian companies—Aisle, joni and Bfree—that specialize in sustainable menstrual care products, many of which are Canadian-made. As a coalition, we cover the range of sustainable products, including eco-friendly disposable pads and tampons, reusable cups, cloth pads and leak-proof underwear, providing a greater choice for users.