SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — Girls Belong Here Program

Honourable senators, I rise today to welcome a remarkable young person in our gallery and to recognize the work of Plan International Canada and its program Girls Belong Here. For 10 years, Girls Belong Here has placed young women alongside decision makers in policy, government and business. It pairs ambition with practical skills, networks and mentorship. It turns leadership potential into real-world impact.

I am honoured to host one of this year’s participants, Sara Ebenezer. At 24, Sara is an award-winning social impact leader and founder. Convinced that no young person’s potential should be limited by their background or their income, Sara created For the Love of STEM and Girl Power, bringing financial literacy, mentorship and career exposure to young women in underserved communities across Canada. She has advised the Deputy Prime Minister, served on the Ontario Minister of Education’s advisory council and represented North America as a research lead for UNESCO.

I think many of us would love to have done some of what you have done, Sara.

Sara’s story points to a larger truth. Women still hold only about a quarter of parliamentary seats worldwide, and in boardrooms, cabinets and executive suites, the pattern repeats. This is not a shortage of talent. Barriers such as unequal access to networks, the absence of visible role models and the quiet assumptions about who belongs in the room do not dissolve on their own. They are dismantled by intentional pathways, open doors and people willing to say, “Come with me.”

That’s why mentorship is not a luxury. It’s not charity. It’s an infrastructure of democracy and an important investment.

The evidence for the payoff is strong. When women and girls hold real influence, decisions reflect more of the people they affect. Policy is stronger. Communities are healthier, more resilient and more prosperous. Empowering girls is not charity. It is among the soundest investments a society can make.

In my own work with young women’s leadership, I have learned that access matters but so does where it leads. Being invited into the room is not the same as shaping what happens in that room.

My thanks to Senators Senior, Hay and Boehm for sharing your wisdom with Sara today.

Sara, you belong in this chamber and in every room where our collective future is decided.