Mr. Speaker, this weekend women from across Canada completed a journey that brought them to Ottawa with a message of jobs, justice and equality. Today the National Action Committee on the Status of Women brought their voices to parliamentarians.
The message these grassroots women's organizations bring to government is essential in the development of legislation that will strengthen gender equality and alleviate the poverty in which many women now live.
At the Beijing women's conference last year, it was agreed that there is a role for non-governmental organizations and women's groups to work with their governments to bring gender related issues to the fore. The government is working diligently to address the issues of poverty, unemployment, inequality and is working hard to integrate the needs of women into all future policy and legislation.
Having just returned from the UN Habitat II Conference, I consider this commitment of NGOs and governments to work together is our greatest strength. I praise the commitment of all women here today as we continue to work together in partnership to achieve greater gender equality.