Prime Minister Mark Carney Address on International Women’s Day
Thank you for seeing us, Prime Minister Mark Carney. Imagine a country where ending child sexual violence is a priority. We would all benefit. I voted for you because you understand money. We are in an economic war, and what we see is hard to talk about. That makes your role so challenging. I see that and I thank you.
Let us talk numbers. According to a 2015 report, the lifetime cost of child sexual violence per survivor is $830,928 USD (Peterson et al., 2018). When adjusted for inflation and converted to Canadian dollars, that figure is roughly $1.47 million per survivor today. More than 8 million Canadians live with its aftermath. Most are women. One in four women in Canada will experience this crime. That means roughly 5 million women. At $1.47 million per survivor, the total economic impact is approximately $7.35 trillion. Canada’s combined federal and provincial debt is roughly $2.3 trillion.
In other words, the economic cost of child sexual violence for women alone is more than three times Canada’s total federal and provincial debt. We are not just talking about a social crisis. We are talking about one of the largest economic losses in our country. Preventing even a fraction of this harm would return trillions to the Canadian economy. Ending child sexual violence is not only a moral imperative. It is one of the smartest economic investments Canada could make.
How much lost opportunity before we act? This is not an individual problem. This is a community problem. This is the original war, a war against children, most of them women, fighting to survive every day.
I refuse to accept a system that does not see me. You have a choice, Mark. You can continue to ignore this crime against humanity or you can visit places like The Gatehouse. They are ready, trained, and they saved my life. All genders are welcome.🩷
P.S. Mark Carney: You count, but I only see two Indigenous women in your montage. You can do so much better. The magic number is 30%. Ask Gina Wilson. In 2008 she became the first Indigenous woman to hold a senior position at what is now called Indigenous Services Canada. The names change a lot. This was just days before Harper’s apology to the world.
Or ask Leona Aglukkaq, appointed the same day. Finally, Indigenous representation in a Conservative government. This is what never giving up looks like.
Representation does not happen by accident. We need you Mark.