Mayor Crombie, Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Council, staff and high school students from Mississauga during the Mayor’s IWD Young Women’s Empowerment Breakfast.
For Immediate Release
March 8, 2017
Mayor Crombie Hosts IWD Young Women’s Empowerment Breakfast
On behalf of the City of Mississauga and Members of Council, I would like to welcome local female students to City Hall for our International Women’s Day Young Women’s Empowerment Breakfast, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said today.
“In March, we celebrate International Women’s Day 2017 and this year’s theme is Be Bold for Change,” Mayor Crombie added. “As we prepare to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation, Canadians need bold leadership to shape our country’s promising future. Mississauga’s remarkable young women are up to the job.”
In recognition of Canada 150 and IWD 2017, the Mayor’s Office hosted its first ever IWD Young Women’s Empowerment Breakfast featuring special guest the Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Her Honour is the third woman to serve as The Queen’s representative in Ontario.
Local teachers and administration were asked to choose students to attend. Nearly 70 female students from 30 Mississauga secondary schools took part in this mentoring opportunity.
As part of the breakfast, students also participated in breakout discussions to answer the following question: what bold actions can young women take to shape Canada’s next 50 years? Students discussed their ideas and recommendations with Councillors, trustees and senior staff from the City of Mississauga, local school boards, post-secondary institutions and Trillium Health Partners, who were all in attendance.
Following the discussions, students were asked to present their ideas to everyone present. Recommendations brought forward include:
- Combat stereotypes
- Improve access to education
- Undertake new initiatives to end violence against women
- Encourage young women to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)
- Create greater awareness and appreciation for Aboriginal and indigenous communities and history
Following the breakfast, Mayor Crombie invited those students and teachers in attendance to attend the scheduled Council meeting today.
Mayor Crombie concluded “On International Women’s Day, let us always work to build a strong sense of community that rewards, respects and guarantees that women – of all ages – are mentored and encouraged to pursue their dreams.”
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