Sophie Gregoire Trudeau opens TSX in honour of International Day of the Girl

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, centre, and girls representing G(girls)20 FitSpirit/Fillactive and Plan International Canada open the market at the TSX in Toronto to celebrate International Day of the Girl, on Tuesday October 11, 2016. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

Surrounded by a group of young girls and organizers clapping along, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau counted down before ringing the bell to open the trading day at the Toronto Stock Exchange on Tuesday morning. Trudeau and representatives from three charitable organizations advocating for girls’ rights were there to mark International Day of the Girl.

Members from Plan International Canada, G(irls)20 and FitSpirit joined Gregoire Trudeau at the event, to highlight the importance of gender equality in the workforce.

Gregoire Trudeau is a global ambassador for Plan International Canada and has worked with the organization on behalf of their Because I Am A Girl initiative. After opening the stock market, Trudeau will participate in a discussion with Canadian girls involved in the #GirlsBelongHere program to discuss career opportunities.

“Girls are showing that girls and women belong in the seats of classrooms, boardrooms, trading floors, Senate, courtrooms, press rooms and corner offices,” a press release for the event said.

According to their website, G(irls)20 is a Canadian-based group that aims to increase “female labour force participation around the world through “education, entrepreneurial training, leadership, and global experiences.”

Farah Mohamed, the founder and CEO of G(irls)20, joined Gregoire Trudeau at the TSX and will also announce the introduction of a new investing platform which will invest charitable donations in the G(irls)20 stock. The returns will go towards the organization’s training and mentorship workshops.

Mohamed said that investing time and resources in girls pays off because when women earn a salary they tend to put most of their money back into the community, which helps raise the overall GDP.

Mohamed said it was natural to include Gregoire Trudeau in Tuesday’s event because she’s a “champion for girls and young women.”

With files from The Canadian Press