Quebec Is Considering Making Tampons & Pads Available For Free In Public Places
If you've been keeping up with feminine hygiene news, you'll know Scotland recently became the first country to make period products free to anyone who needs them.
In April 2019, British Columbia became the first province in Canada to require its schools to offer free tampons and pads to students.
So, where does Quebec stand in the fight to ensure menstrual products are readily available?
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After all, are we questioning the relevance of providing toilet paper and soap in bathrooms?
Catherine Fournier, MNA for Marie-Victorin
On Friday, the National Assembly of Quebec unanimously adopted a motion to study the possibility of making feminine hygiene products available free of charge in public institutions, including schools.
The motion was tabled by Catherine Fournier, MNA for Marie-Victorin.
"Being a woman [...] means having to pay for products that men never have to buy," Fournier said, noting that menstrual products can add up to thousands of dollars over the years.
"For some women, this is the last straw in their budget. Studies show that young girls sometimes even miss school when they have their period because they don't have access to tampons, sanitary napkins or other products."
Fournier said the fact that the government has committed to studying the possibility of providing free period products in public institutions is "a great step forward for gender equality."