Madam Speaker, this Sunday, October 11, is International Day of the Girl Child.
On this occasion, I want to highlight a young woman from my riding named Cailyn. Cailyn was frustrated by the increasing acts of racism she was seeing in the news, including in the Comox Valley where she lives. She knew that she wanted to contribute something positive to the conversation.
As an avid runner, she organized a virtual race against racism, where participants could sign up and run a 5K route of their choice and at the same time raise awareness and funds for Black Lives Matter Canada and the Black Solidarity Fund.
Girls like Cailyn are leading social change in our communities today. They refuse to stay silent when they see injustice. However, women in the House continue to be under-represented. We need to work to change this and to encourage and make space for girls like Cailyn, because the society they are wanting to build is a better one for us all.