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Speaking Notes for The Honourable Rona Ambrose, P.C., M.P. Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women On the occasion of an announcement of funding to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)

Edmonton, Alberta
Wednesday, February 22, 2012

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Thank you Karen for that kind introduction and for hosting us here today.

I'm pleased to be joined by Councillors Karen Leibovici and Linda Sloan.

Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to be here on behalf of the Government of Canada. 

We are joining once again with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to launch a new project that will strengthen the leadership of women, especially young women, across Canada.

Empowering women to be leaders in the social, economic and democratic life of our nation is important for us all, and for the economic success of our country.

The global economy remains fragile. That is why our Government remains committed to the Economic Action Plan.  It includes bold steps to support economic growth, job creation, and return to a balanced budget in the medium term.

Over the past several years, our government has also taken targeted actions to help women be safer, more secure and more economically successful.

The Government of Canada is committed to supporting projects that yield concrete results for women and girls in Canada while strengthening families, communities and the country.

Through Status of Women Canada, the government's support for community-based projects has nearly doubled since we took office, to its highest level ever.

To date, we have provided more than $15 million in funding for projects that advance women in leadership and decision-making roles. 

We believe that when public, private and non-profit organizations provide women with a strong voice in decision-making, it is not only the right thing to do - it is the smart thing to do.  

But we need to begin at the beginning - by giving young women a window on the world that so many of us live and work in every day. 

That is why I am proud to announce Government of Canada funding of $199,905 for a new project with Federation of Canadian Municipalities that will help young women enhance their leadership and decision-making skills.  

This national project expands on a pilot project in Toronto entitled ‘Protégé' where the goal is to inspire young women and familiarize them with the job of a municipal councillor through experience such as job shadowing.  

With mentoring by an elected official, participants will gain knowledge, skills and experience in the role of women councillors and the workings of municipal government. 

These young women will be encouraged to run for agencies, boards and commissions during and after the project's completion.  And we hope tools created by this project will enable communities nationwide to roll-out similar programs.

Today, we add this project to the growing list of promising new initiatives helping to create positive, concrete change for women and girls in every region of Canada.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I congratulate FCM for your commitment to making a difference for women.  This project is one more example of your strong leadership efforts. 

Thank you.

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Date Modified:
2012-03-29