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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, M ar ch 7, 20 19 | 10 Our smaller group sizes provide better learning & development. Our dedicated supervision means better focus on your child. Canlan Hockey Camps REGISTER AT ICESPORTS.COM/CAMPS | 905 845 6989 Bistro CaféRed Seal Chef MOVE-IN 2019! Future Address: 1 Sixteen Mile Dr, Oakville (905) 542-9000 vivalife.ca Fitness Studio Making Today Great! Next stop: Ireland! Celebrate St. Patrick's Day early with a festive lunch. Friday, March 15th at 12 noon. The Pipes & Taps Pub 101 - 231 Oak Park Blvd., Oakville Call Trish at (905) 542-9000 or email Oakville@vivalife.ca to RSVP! DINING AROUND THE WORLD SERIES Oakville's premier all-inclusive retirement lifestyle has arrived. Heated, indoor Saltwater Pool GOLFZONTM simulator Bistro Café and Licensed Pub Big-screen Theatre Vibrant Independent Living, plus Assisted Living suites Renowned V!VAlicious cuisine featuring three meals freshly prepared by a Red Seal Chef Bright and spacious suites including 2 bedroom, 1 bedroom plus den, 1 bedroom, and studio And so much more! A retirement lifestyleworthy of its Oakville address. March 8 is International Women's Day. This annualWomen's Day. This annualW event provides an opportu- nity to celebrate woman's achievements, their empow- erment, and to promote gen- der equality. International Women's Day grew out of labour movement activities across North America and Europe at the turn of the 20th centu- ry and was recognized by the United Nations in 1975. Women contribute great-Women contribute great-W ly to the wealth and prosper- ity of Canada. Since the mid- point of the last century women's participation and contribution has grown in professions previously occu- pied by men. It's true the his- toric differences between men and women have faded during the past decades. Un- fortunately, there is one par-fortunately, there is one par-f ticular area where women are under-represented. According to the Status of Women Canada website, women have not made sig- nificant advancements in the areas of science, technol- ogy, engineering and math, known as STEM. How is that possible? In 1921 Elsie MacGill was asked to leave University of British Columbia's engineering pro- gram due to her gender. She went on to become Canada's first woman aeronauticalfirst woman aeronauticalf engineer and aircraft de- signer. In 1992, Dr. Roberta Bondar became the first Ca- nadian woman and first neurologist in space. These women, along with so many more, are powerful role models for women entering STEM. But in Canada only one in three STEM graduates are women. This is a lost op- portunity for girls and wom- en. It is also a lost opportuni- ty for our country. Canada along with other countries has an ongoing shortage in many STEM fields. The government of Cana- da has launched initiatives to encourage women to en- ter STEM professions, in- cluding "Choose Science", believing there has never been a better time for wom- en to start into STEM. This year's International Wom- an's Day theme is #Innovate- ForChange. The hope isForChange. The hope isF when you know a woman making a difference in STEM use International Women's Day to celebrateWomen's Day to celebrateW her achievements. If you know a girl who is currently in grade school or high school, suggest they consider pursuing one of the STEM disciplines. For some of these girls, there is a tre- mendous opportunity wait- ing for them. We can all do our part to promote the ad- vancement of women. Peter Watson, of Peter Watson Investments MBA, CFP®, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI offers a weekly financial planning column, Dollars & Sense. He can be contacted through www.peterwat- soninvestments.com. OPINION MARCH 8 IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY TIME TO PROMOTE STEM, WRITES WATSON PETER WATSON Column