| December
1 |
Allyn
Ann McLerie. Born Grand
Mere, Quebec 1926. Allyn become an actress having made films
from the 1940's through to the 1980's. A listing of her TV appearances
is like a listing of the classics, Bonanza, The Waltons
and Dynasty to name a few of the shows in which she appeared.
She retired from acting in 1993. |
| |
Sylvie
Daigle. Born Sherbrooke,
Quebec 1962. She began speed skating when she was 8 years old..
She would go on in her sport to win an Olympic gold medal at the Calgary
games 1988 in the 1500m event and sliver medals in the 1000m and 3000m
events. In the Albertville Olympic Games it was gold again,
this time as part of the short track relay event. The Lillehammer
Olympics would be a silver medal again in the relay. She is
also a student in medicine at l'Université de Montréal. |
| December
2 |
Jennifer
Lee Robinson. Born Goderich, Ontario 1976. Figure
skating is her first love. Her heroine was skater Elizabeth Manly.
She won the Canadian Junior Championship in 1994. In 1996 she won
her first Canadian Senior Championship title. She has been Canadian
ladies figure skating champion 6 times. Check out her official web
site: http://skatinginc.com/Skaters/Robinson/ |
| December
3 |
Miriam
Waddington. (née Dworkin)
Born Winnipeg, Manitoba 1917. Her first career was as a social worker
before she became an educator, writer, and editor.
She has written poetry and short fiction.
She is a specialist on the subject of A.M. Klein. In 1998 she
was the Canada Council exchange poet in Wales. |
| |
Mary Alloway.
(née Wilson)
Born 1848. Died 1919. She was the author of Famous Firesides
of French Canada which was published in Montreal in 1899 and
the novel, Crossed Swords, which was published
in Toronto in 1912. |
| December
4 |
Deanna
Durbin.
Born Winnipeg, Manitoba 1921.
Known as 'Winnipeg’s Sweetheart', this glamour actress of the
1930’s and 1940’s had a real star status in Hollywood. She began her
career in 1926 and had 23 credits behind her by 1948. Then she simply
dropped out of the Hollywood life.
She has not given an interview of any kind since she “dropped
acting” To this day fan mail is still sent to the reclusive actress. |
| |
Barbara
Amiel .
Born Hertfordshire, England. A writer, journalist, and editor,
Barbara was editor for the Toronto Sun newspaper.
She has won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best face crime book
and was the “Woman of Distinction” in 1989. She is married to Conrad
Black, a noted newspaper entrepreneur. |
| |
Anna McGarrigle. Born
Montreal, Quebec 1944. Along with her sister and partner, Kate,
she began singing in coffee houses in Montreal in the 1960's.
In 1976 they produced a record album together. Other albums
followed including an all French album in 1982. The McGarrigles were
named to the Order of Canada in 1994. |
|
Roberta
Lynn
Bondar. Born Sault Ste Marie,
Ontario 1945. Canada’s first woman astronaut had flair. She took her
favourite food, Girl Guide cookies, into space with her.
She brought from space a real sense of just how delicate our
small blue planet really is and is now using her photography to help
show and save our earth’s environment.
She has several university degrees.
Check out how many schools she went to in the Canadian Who’s
Who at your library. Check out Dr. Bondar's web page: http://www.robertabondar.ca/ |
© Famous Canadian
Women |
| December
5 |
Pearl
Calhasen .
Born 1952. After studies for her Masters in Education she worked to
develop Cree language for elementary and adult education. She was
the first woman to teach at a minimum security prison in Alberta.
Her desire to improve education and social policy have led her to
political positions such as Alberta Human Rights Commissioner, Member
of the World Congress on Education , the Métis Nation of Alberta and
Alberta Minister Without Portfolio, Responsible for Children's Services.
Her political achievements have earned her the privilege of being
addressed as the Honourable Pearl Calhasen. |
| |
Julie
Khaner.
Born Montreal, Quebec 1957. This accomplished actor played Alana on
Street Legal (CBC series) and Emily on Jake and the Kid
( Global TV Series). She is also a regular on the CBC series Newsroom.
Her TV guest roles have included Aderly, Night Heat, My Secret
Identity and many more. She also enjoys live stage work and has
played various roles at the famous Stratford Festival located in Ontario.
|
| December
6 |
Susanna
Moodie (née Strickland).
Born Bungay, England 1803. Susanna
was a settler in Upper Canada and she wrote about her adventures in
a famous book called Roughing
it in the Bush. She was also an early Canadian journalist
writing for the best of the Canadian literary journals of the day.
She was very suspicious of the “Yankee” (American) influence on early
Canada. Her sister, Catherine Parr Trail was also a famous Canadian
author. |
Public domain |
| |
Mabel
Frances Timlin. .
Born Forest Junction, Wisconsin U.S.A. 1891. Died 1976.
"Timmie" moved to Saskatchewan from the United States in
1917. She worked as a secretary while studying at the University
of Saskatchewan. In 1940 she earned a PhD at the University of Washington
and returned to the University of Saskatchewan to teach economics.
She would go on to write some of the basic Canadian economic works
of the 1950's and 1960's. She would become the first woman to be elected
to the executive committee of the American Economics Association from
1957-1960. Among her many awards were the Canada Centennial Medal
1976 and the Order of Canada. |
| December
7 |
Margaret
Ruth Pringle Carse. Born
Edmonton, Alberta 1916. Died November 14, 1999. This ballet dancer
was a true pioneer of her profession in Western Canada. She founded
the Alberta Ballet Company and it's associated school of dance.
She studied with several leading institutions including the National
Ballet of Canada and in New York City. An injury in 1954 forced her
to retire from the stage. She turned her talents to teaching
the youth of Western Canada. She was winner of the Dance Canada Award
in 1989 and she holds the Order of Canada. |
| December
8 |
Haley
Wickenheiser Born Shaunavon, Saskatchewan 1978.
Team sports are her favourite. She played in competition in the World
Junior Softball Championships in 1995. Then it was hockey. She played
with a gold medal team at the 1997-99 World hockey Championships and
the silver medal team at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. She was invited
to play with the Philadelphia Flyers training camp which she found
a great opportunity to learn at the NHL level. She has done studies
science and the University of Calgary and is currently the first woman
to have accepted a contract to play hockey on a men's team. She plays
her sport of hockey in Finland. |
| December
9 |
Annie
Buller. (married name Guralnick) Born Ukraine,1895.
Died January 19, 1973. She immigrated to Montreal from the Ukraine
with her parents when she was a child. She studied Marxism at
school and joined the Workers' (Communist) Party of Canada in 1922.
She devoted herself to the politics of the her party. She would
help workers of all trades, from mining to dressmaking, form unions
to better their working conditions. She retired in the late
1950's but continued to lend her experiences to the Party organization
until her death. While Communism never gained a strong foothold in
Canada, her devotion to the betterment of workers lives and the bravado
she displayed in her beliefs is a strong legacy for all Canadian women. |
| December
10 |
Ibola
Szalai Grossman.
Born 1916. "Ibi"
is a self-described “ordinary woman”. She is also a survivor.
She survived the physical and mental horrors of the Hungarian
Holocaust. She survived to escape to the west. She survived the obstacles
of being a European immigrant Jew. She survived the change to a new
and foreign culture and way of life in immigrating to Canada.
She did all of this after her husband, her mother, father,
and her sisters died in the death camps.
She survived to raise her son alone in Canada. She survived
to write her story in the hopes that the horrors will not happen again. |
| |
Jessica
Steen. Born Toronto, Ontario 1965. There was a lot
of time to practice acting in Jessica's house. There was always
an annual Christmas skit, and trips to the theater with her director
father. She had her first TV role at the age of 8. In
the mid 1960's she appeared in a TV movie with Lindsay Wagner and
schoolmate Keanu Reeves. Lately she has had roles in Touched
by an Angel; The Outer Limits; ER; and Due South. If her
busy schedule between TV and movies allows it, she enjoys kayaking
and rock climbing. She is also a volunteer with environmentalist
David Suzuki. Check out her web page: http://www.jessicasteen.com
|
| December
11 |
Pauline
Jewett.
Born St Catherines, Ontario 1922.
Died July 5, 1992. She would use her own educational background
at Queen’s, Radcliff, Harvard, Oxford and London School of Economics
as a background for being a politician, educator and professor of
political science. She was an
elected member of parliament in the 1960's and again in the 1980's.
She was appointed president of Simon Fraser University in 1974,
the first woman to be head of a major co-educational university in
Canada. She was appointed Chancellor of Carleton University in Ottawa
in 1990, a position she held until her death. In 1992 Carleton University
renamed its women's studies program to become the Pauline Jewett Institute
of Women's Studies. She was also an Officer in the Order of Canada.
|
| |
Carolyn Waldo.
Born Montreal, Quebec 1964. After nearly drowning at the age of 3
years she took 7 years to overcome her fear of the water. In the 1984
Olympics she captured a silver medal in synchronized swimming! At
the World Aquatic Championships she and partner Michelle Cameron won
gold and Carolyn also took gold in the solo event.
In the 1988 Olympics she won gold in solo and again with Michelle
won gold in duet. She
became the first Canadian woman to win 2 gold medals at one Olympics.
She currently perusing a career in sports broadcasting. |
| December
12 |
Mina
Suingai Shum.
Born Hong Kong 1965. Mina studied for a degree in Theatre and then Film
and TV Production at the University of British Columbia. She is a writer and producer
of films and is perhaps best known for her work in short films. In 1993 her work
Me, Mom and Mona, won a special Jury Citation for Best Canadian
Short Film. She has won a Genie Award for Best Actress and Best Editing and she
has been nominated for seven Genies in the categories of Best Picture, Best Direction
and Best Screenplay. |
| December
13 |
Emily
Carr.
Born Victoria, British Columbia 1871. Died March 2,1945. Emily is
perhaps one of the most famous women painters in Canada.
Her works bring alive the beautiful West Coast scenes with
vibrant and distinct images. The swirling stokes of her brush created
unique images of her paintings. Her canvases hang in many art galleries
including the National Gallery in Ottawa. Totem poles of West Coast
native peoples were also one of her favourite studies. Did you know
she also wrote books? You will find books showing her art and the
books she wrote at your local public library. |
Public domain |
| |
|
| December
14 |
Blanche
van Ginkel (née Lemco). Born
London, England 1923. Blanche
and her husband are Architects and urban planners.
They have worked on plans for old city of Montreal, new Montreal,
New York City, Calgary, and even development sites for the Canadian
Arctic. She was Dean of Architecture at the University of Toronto,
1977-1982. |
| December
15 |
Ida
Haendel.
Born Chelm, Poland 1924.
This violinist is known for her flawless technique and beauty
of tone when she plays. She
had a long international career beginning as a child prodigy in Poland,
playing for British servicemen in World War II England. She is a member
of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. She immigrated to Canada in 1952. |
|
Chantal
Peticlerc.
Born Saint-Marc-des Carriéres, Quebec 1969. This television
host for Lotto Quebec has become the first woman Canadian star in
the sport of wheelchair athletics. In the summer of 1995 she won 5
gold medals at the world championships for wheel chair athletics,
and in 1996 she brought home 5 medal from the Paralympics.
Go ahead find out more about Chantal and other paralympians
on the Internet. |
© Famous Canadian
Women |
| December
16 |
Karleen
Bradford .
Born 1936. This writer enjoys producing books for young adult readers.
She is a working mother of three children who also found time to contribute
to her profession by holding positions at organizations such as the
Writers Union of Canada, the Canadian Authors' Association and the
Public Lending Rights Commission. Her own books have won awards such
as; The Max and Greta Ebel Award 1990 ( Windward Island ) and
the Young Adult Canadian Book Award of the Canadian Library Association
in 1993. The titles of some of her other books include: The
Nine Days Queen, The Haunting at Cliff House, There Will Be Wolves,
Animal Heroes, Shadows on a Sword. Check the shelves of your
local public Library for these exciting titles. |
| December
17 |
Frances
Dafoe.
Born 1929 This 1948 Canadian Junior ladies figure skating champion
became paired with Norris Bowden the 1947 men’s singles champion to
compete in the 1952 Olympics. By 1954 they were the first Canadians
to be World Pairs Champions. At the 1955 Olympics they won the silver
medal. Frances retired to a successful fashion deign career specializing
in figure skating costumes and continues to be an international skating
judge. She is a member
of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. |
| December
18 |
Henrietta
Louise Edwards
(née
Muir). Born 1849. One
of the “Famous Five” women who took the Person case to England and
had Canadian women declared” persons” under the law. Women, as 'non-persons'
had no rights to own land, serve in government and had very few legal
rights prior to 1929. Why not read about the "Persons Case"
at the web site for the National Archives of Canada. http://www.archives.ca/05/0530_e.html |
| December
19 |
Joanne
Gard Marshall.
Born 1945. Dr. Marshall is a librarian and professor at the Faculty
of Information Studies at the University of Toronto. She also holds
cross appointments with the Department of Health Administration at
the Centre for Health Promotion and Institute for Human Development,
Life Course and Aging. While librarians are often seen as holding
a special contributive role in a community, Dr. Marshall has earned
special recognition within her profession. She is the recipient of
several awards including the Eliot Prize from the Medical Library
Association and the Award of Outstanding Achievement from the Canadian
Health Library Association.
|
| December
20 |
Judy
Verlyn LaMarsh.
Born Chatham, Ontario1924. Died October 27, 1980. A lawyer, educator and politician this colourful,
flamboyant woman as Minister of Health and Welfare introduced the
Canada Pension Plan. As
Secretary of State for Canada she presided over the 1967 centennial
year celebrations for Canada with great flair.
She also established the Royal Commission on the Status of
Women. You will find her autobiography on many library shelves. |
| December
21 |
Marie
Madeleine Maufils dit de St Louis.
Baptized 1671. She was one of the religious Hospitallers at the Hôtel-Dieu.
She was known as Mother Maufils. She was a talented painter and artist
who is credited with some of the artistic panels in the Chapel of
the Hôpital Générale in Quebec city. |
| December
22 |
Myriam
Bedard.
Born 1969. While
with cadets she took up biathlon and entered her first competition
on rented skis. In 1991 she was the first Canadian to win a World
Cup in Biathlon. She won a bronze medal in the Olympic games in 1992
when women's biathlon was a demonstration sport The next year it
was a
a gold at the World Championship. She went n to win gold for the 7.5
km inaugural event, and a gold in the 15 km event
at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. She
was the first non-European to win gold in Biathlon.
She received the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s outstanding athlete
in 1994. She is a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. |
| December
23 |
Catriona
LeMay Doan. Born
1970. This young skater from the Canadian prairies is a member
of the national long track speed skating team. She won 2 medals
in the Olympics in Nagano, Japan. In 1997-8 she was the fastest
woman on ice! She lost only one 500m race all year! She is actively
involved in public speaking where she is challenging and motivating
people to achieve their full potential. |
| December
24 |
Marie
Elmina Anger. Born
1844. Educated as a teenager with the Sisters of the Good Shepard
in Quebec City, she entered the order and took vows and became Sister
Marie de Jésus. While she became a good teacher herself she
was better known for her talents in painting. She was particularly
good as a portrait artist and would, in her lifetime, produce some
50 portraits of religious colleagues of her day. People who would
sit for portraits included Elisabeth Bryière, Archbishop Baillagon,
Cardinal Tachereau and Vicar General Cazeau. Through her own canvases
and her teachings, Sister Marie de Jésus left a rich cultural
and religious heritage to Quebec. |
| December
25 |
Isabella
Valancy Crawford.
Born 1850. Died 1887. Isabella emigrated with her family
from Ireland around 1947. After the death of her father in 1875 she
began publishing popular verse and serialized novels in publications
in Toronto and New York City. She would be the first important woman
poet in Canada. A complete collection of her works was published posthumously.) |
| |
Alannah
Myles Born 1958. This rock singer began
playing the guitar at age 11. By 15 she was writing songs.
She was unable to gain the attention of Canadian companies so she
released her records through a New York company. She won a Grammy
for her first album. An album in 1995 was simply called Alannah. |
| December
26 |
Elizabeth
Russell. Born 1754. Died 1822. After the
death of her father she moved to the Canada's with her older half
brother, Peter. Peter was an administrator in the colony. She became
an able entertainer on behalf of her brother and his position in York
(Toronto), socializing with the elite society of the day. In her letters
and diary she has left a detailed picture of one woman's life in early
Upper Canada. |
| December
27 |
Mary
Evangeline Percy Jackson.
Born Dudley England December 27, 1904 Died May 6 2000.
From the time she was 11 she had wanted to study medicine. Graduating
from Birmingham University in 1927, as best all round student, she
answered a Canadian advertisement for women doctors for the Prairies.
Her practice would cover 560 square kilometers and patients would be
reached on horseback. In spring 1929 her trip to settle in Battle
River required a 24 hour train trip,18 hours by boat and an 11 hour 28
kilometers wagon ride to work in a small cabin with no electricity and
no phone. March 10, 1931 she would marry a persistent suitor, Frank
Jackson and move north to Keg River. Here she settled into home life
with two step sons and opened a medical practice for the local Métis,
unsupported financially by the government. She and Frank would add two
children to the family farm. In 1953 the family was given the Master
Farm Award by the province. In 1965 a school was named in Mary’s
honour. More acknowledgements of her work would come in the form of
the Centennial Medal in 1967, The Woman of the year Award from the
Voce of Native Women in 1975.In 1983 she received the Alberta Order of
Excellence followed in 1990 with an Order of Canada. Mary always
found her work to be a gift not a chore and this was felt by her
appreciative clients.
Source Rebel Women: Achievements beyond the ordinary by Linda
Kupecek. (Canmore, AB : Altitude Publishing, 2003) pg 83-94. :
Http://www.drmaryjackson.com |
| December
28 |
Fanny
“Bobbie”
Rosenfeld. Born 1903.
In 1950 she was declared Canada’s woman athlete of the half century.
She was a member of the 1928 Olympic team. These were the first
Olympic games to allow women to compete. She brought home a silver
and gold medal for Canada! |
© Canada Post Corporation |
| |
Michelle
Cameron.
Born 1962. From 1981 for the next 7 years she would be on
the synchronized swimming team that would win 6 of 8 national championships. She
was a member of the team that demonstrated the new sport to the International
Olympic Committee to have the Games accept the sport. She was on the gold medal
team in the 1988 Olympics. She is a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.
|
| December
29 |
Sarah
Debbois. Born 1733. She married successful merchant,
George Debbois and raised a family. As loyalists or people who had
left the colonies in the United States because they were still loyal
to the British monarchy, her family relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
When her husband died in 1799 she assumed supervision of his business.
She was somewhat of a novelty in Halifax society and the business
survived difficult times. She provided a solid foundation for the
business which continued as a family business into the 19th century. |
| |
Lisa
Savigarvi. Born
1963. She first learned to ski at 14 months! She was a national
competitor at 14 years. In 1985 she was overall alpine Canadian Champion.
She was forced out of competition in 1987-88 season after shattering
her knee and injuring her back while in World Cup training. |
| December
30 |
Sondra
Gotlieb. Born 1936. An author,
who has one the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, she has also authored
two Canadian cookbooks. She
writes articles for such notable publications as Saturday Night,
Maclean’s, and the New York Times. |
| |
Linda
Thom.
Born Hamilton,
Ontario December 30, 1943. She is a strong and highly motivated
Olympic medalist. She first became interested in shooting as a child,
when she learned the basics of the sport from her shooting enthusiast
father. She successfully entered pistol competitions in 1969. By the
mid 1970's she concentrated on her career as a chef and on family
life. She took up the challenge of shooting again when it was
announced that women would compete in this event in the Olympic
Games. Her pistol individual gold medal in the 1984 Los Angeles games
was the first for a Canadian women and the first gold medal for a
Canadian woman since 1928. Linda felt that the Gold Medal belonged to
all the people of Canada, and she carried it with here wherever she
went so that people could see and touch the medal for themselves.
Linda is the first pistol shooter included into the Canadian Sports
Hall of Fame. She is also a member of the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame
and the Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame. In 1985 she received the
Order of Canada. |
| December
31 |
Bella Hall Gauld.
Born 1878. A political
and social activist she worked with immigrants, founded the Labour
College (1920-1924) , and the Woman’s Labour League which sponsored
camps for poor children. In
the desperate 1930’s she operated a soup kitchen and played piano
at fundraisers for various ethnic communities. During World War II
she was a frequent soloist at navy league concerts for servicemen.
She became interested in the political beliefs of Communism,
these beliefs she would retain all of her live. |
| |
Elizabeth
Arden
(Real name Florence Nightengale Graham). Born Woodbridge, Ontario 1884 Died 1966. She left Woodbridge Ontario for the bright lights
of New York City when she was 25 years old.
After working as secretary at a cosmetic firm she decided that
she would work in the cosmetic business herself. The rest is history.
Along with her rival, Helena Rubenstein, she made make-up acceptable
to the average North American woman. You can see for yourself all
the various products her company makes at most large department stores
cosmetic sections. |
| |
Ethel
Smith. Born 1907. She teamed with Bobbie Rosenfeld, Myrtle Cook and Jane Bell
to win the gold medal in the 400m relay at the 1928 Olympic games, the fist games
that allowed women to compete. She also won the bronze medal in the 100m sprint
at the same games. A natural athlete she excelled at basketball and softball as
well as track and field. She is a
member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. |
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