This year’s International Women’s Day is focused on inspiring inclusion, and emphasizing the importance of diversity and empowerment in all aspects of society.
This theme is important to us because it underscores many of the reasons we started Canada Powered by Women in 2019 when we set out to put the spotlight on an important gap — women’s voices in what drives Canadian prosperity were missing.
Back then we were a group of women who met to talk about the importance of sound energy policies, and why they are vital for the continuing economic prosperity of our country. Back then, we also wondered if other Canadian women felt left out of these discussions.
As we learned from our research, there are millions of women across Canada who do in fact feel that way.
Conversation around energy transformation is complex, it can be polarizing, and we often see women hold back their thoughts — only 37% of engaged women will share opinions on these issues beyond their family circle. We also know that this number jumps to 69% when anonymity and support is offered.
That’s why we are here.
Canada Powered by Women exists to create safe opportunities for women to learn and be part of this discussion. We research, survey, host events, and collect feedback from women across the country, and then we amplify and advocate on their behalf.
Inspiring inclusion is our mandate, and bringing women’s voices to the table is important for Canadian prosperity.
So this International Women’s Day, we are reflecting back on what we have all achieved together, and looking ahead to what’s next as we all seek to inspire more inclusivity.
We reached more than 8 million Canadians last year
Last year as part of our commitment to engaging women in bold discussions we conducted two national surveys to take stock of the issues of the day and what women think. Our findings represent what 4.4 million engaged women care most about.
We learned that not only are women across Canada having conversations about energy transformation, they have very clear opinions, thoughts and priorities:
- 76% of engaged women want a voice in energy policy.
- 78% support continued growth and production of oil and gas, and they are not willing to make tradeoffs that negatively impact their standard of living.
- Engaged women are united in their top 3 priorities across demographics – economic prosperity, energy security and climate.
Our research was shared in the Globe and Mail, the National Post, and on a host of radio and TV stations last year.
In total, we reached eight million Canadians last fall.
All of this is a testament to the hard work of our supporters, our volunteers and members of our community, our board of directors, and the women who have leaned in to help amplify the voices of engaged women across Canada.
You can help us achieve inclusivity
There’s so much common ground on what women think about the economy, energy security, and climate change. But our work is not finished, as we need to make sure women’s voices are being heard.
When we think about inspiring inclusion, that means creating space for women to be at the discussion table. This International Women’s Day we’re issuing a call to action to all Canadians to help #InspireInclusion.
What can you do?
- Share this article in social media to help us raise awareness with #InspireInclusion and #IWD2024
- Forward this email to a woman you know and invite her to join our community.
- Become a member of our community where you’ll get email updates, newsletters, and be informed about our events
Inspiring inclusion is a call to action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected and it encourages everyone to recognize the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life.
Women across Canada are engaged, and with more support we can ensure the voices of many are at the table when energy transformation and economic prosperity are discussed.
Sincerely,
Tracey Bodnarchuk
CEO
Canada Powered by Women