Thank you, and I'd like to say thank you to you as well for taking the issue so seriously as minister. We do appreciate the work that you've done and the consultation that you have done with aboriginal groups and the families, the victims and the families of the victims as well. On behalf of the Government of Canada you have made us proud in that regard. We appreciate that.
I'd like to talk about the commemorative days because I had some good personal experiences this year with women's history month and the recently celebrated international women's week, March 2 to 8, with International Women's Day falling on Saturday, March 8. I attended a couple of events commemorating these special days. On Friday, March 7, I went to a fundraising dinner event coordinated by the Peel Committee Against Woman Abuse, which is a group of women I know well in my community who do terrific work on behalf of vulnerable women in Peel. The next day, on March 8, I was in Thunder Bay to speak to FCM, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, women's political panel. They have a standing committee, the purpose of which is to increase women's participation in municipal government. It was a great meeting, very well attended, and I met dozens of bright, ambitious women from across Ontario who are running for office.
I guess I'm wondering what you did to celebrate women's accomplishments, and what the ministry did to highlight women's issues during the International Women's Day and week this year.
I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but the theme was strong women, strong Canada. That's how the running-for-office theme fit in. It highlighted women entrepreneurs, Canadian women creating jobs, one business at a time.
Maybe you could tell us a bit about your experiences there.