Honourable senators, I rise to speak about a triumph of five women who fought to get us —women — declared “persons,” with the purpose of allowing us to serve here, in the Senate. Yesterday was Persons Day.

Today, Betsy Bury, Dr. Micheline Dumont, Dr. Ramona Lumpkin, Dr. Elizabeth Sheehy, Linda Slanina and Melissa Sariffodeen were recognized for lifetimes of working to advance women’s equality.

Please join me, especially all of my women colleagues, in thanking them for their work to promote women’s equality.