10-Year-Old Advocate Brings Fight Against Period Poverty to Queen’s Park

Date: June 01, 2023

A Prince Edward County youth advocate is helping push the conversation on period poverty to Ontario’s legislature.

On May 31, members of the Prince Edward County Period Party travelled to Queen’s Park to meet with Marit Stiles, Official Leader of the Opposition, to discuss gaps in menstrual equity across the province. The delegation included Ramona Roblin (10), Alison Kelly, Kelly Roblin, and Nell Casson.

The group was formally recognized in the legislature as “guests of the house”, after which they met privately with Stiles to highlight the successes of the local grassroots initiative and the ongoing challenges facing menstruating students.

During the meeting, Ramona Roblin spoke candidly about the need for gender-inclusive menstrual education, pointing out that many educators lack adequate support or comfort when addressing the topic. She also criticized the Ontario government’s limited provision of menstrual products, noting that the current allotment roughly three pads per student per year, falls far short of real needs.

“Students want quality products and access to tampons, not low-grade pads,” Ramona said, adding that product choice, sustainability, and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusivity must be part of any solution.

Ramona also raised concerns about the environmental impact of menstrual products and expressed interest in continuing advocacy efforts alongside Stiles to eliminate period poverty across Ontario.

Following their legislative visit, the group spoke with Sabrina Nanji of the Queen’s Park Observer. When asked about observing Question Period, Ramona shared her impression that politics remains dominated by older voices, saying she heard little discussion about how leaders could improve outcomes for marginalized communities.

Founded in 2018, the PEC Period Party has become a significant force in addressing menstrual inequity locally. The initiative has raised more than $10,000 in donations and products, supporting schools in both the Hastings Prince Edward District School Board and the Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, along with libraries, youth centres, community hubs, and Indigenous communities.

Recent milestones include the installation of free menstrual product dispensers at the Picton and Wellington community centres, marking a pilot step toward broader community access.