Vancouver is home. I spent a huge amount of time here as a kid growing up with my mom, with my grandparents who lived here.

I have a very difficult, high-pressured job. Everyone knows how challenging it is to balance family responsibilities with a job that takes me across the country and working extremely hard.

We know that society is better - more prosperous, more stable, more peaceful, more cohesive - when women's rights are respected and when women are valued, empowered, and lead the way in our communities.

I have no fears that on a purely merit basis, we will have an embarrassment of riches from which to choose in order to reach gender parity.