The following statement was read in the House of Assembly today by the Honourable Sherry Gambin-Walsh, Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality:

Speaker, I rise to recognize one of the most significant moments in this province’s history – the day women achieved the right to vote and hold public office on April 3, 1925.

We owe this triumph to the courageous women who stood firm in the face of opposition. Pioneers such as Armine Gosling, Fannie McNeil, Lady Jeannette Thorburn, Emma Peters, Myra Campbell and Agnes Ayre, who led the suffrage movement – often facing resistance, ridicule and countless barriers.

It is because of them, that the voices of women are heard in our elections, in our legislature and beyond, and their perspectives – our perspectives – are helping guide and shape our laws, policies and economic future.

The right to vote and hold public office is not just a privilege – it is a responsibility. It is a call to action. It is a reminder that democracy flourishes when all voices are included and when every individual has a seat at the table.

As we commemorate this year, I encourage each of you to participate in anniversary events that will be happening around the province, and to also create your own initiatives to support women.

Thank you, Speaker.