Canada's NDP

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May 24th, 2018

NDP statement on the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in federal elections:

Jagmeet Singh, Leader of Canada’s NDP, issued the following statement:

"The right to vote in federal elections was granted to some women for the first time, one hundred years ago today. This is an opportunity to pay tribute to the many women who fought for the right to cast a ballot, and build a more equal Canada for all of us.

Despite this being a historic milestone in our history, we must remember that this progress was not granted to Indigenous women and most women of colour. Their voices continued to be ignored, silenced and relegated to the sidelines.

The systemic racism displayed in this history, designed to exclude entire groups of women from the democratic process, reminds us that progress does not always come equally.

As we remember this historic turning point for gender equality, we must also remind ourselves that true progress lifts everybody up, and includes all voices.

It’s also a reminder that the fight for equal rights for all women requires us to keep moving forward. That is why New Democrats continue to call for pay equity legislation, funding for adequate childcare services, and removing all economic barriers to women in the workplace.

So today, let us honour all the activists, and feminists who worked tirelessly to win the right to vote. The impact of this milestone on gender equality is immeasurable and continues to reverberate in the ongoing pursuit for equality for all.

Let us honor them, and all women, by continuing to fight systemic injustice, inequality and sexism, and ensure that all women rise together."