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Return to Timeline introduction

1980 AD to 1989 AD
Events listed relate to Canadian women with a few extra items added to give the timeline perspective.

This timeline is not all inclusive.

The timeline  was fun to prepare and hopefully it will be fun to read.  Perhaps it will even be  useful.

Events listed are drawn from various sources including those listed on other areas of http://famouscanadianwomen.com

If you wish more information on the women listed in this timeline be sure and check out the birthdays listed in
"Do you share a birthday with a famous Canadian woman?"

LAST UPDATED July 31 2005

DATES

EVENTS

1980
 
Dr Lois Miriam Wilson (1927-  )  is elected as the first woman  moderator of the United Church of Canada.

The Canadian Supreme Court recognizes the equal distribution of assets in failed common-law relationships.

Fishermen’s wives get jobless benefits as unemployment insurance is granted to 10,000 women working with their husbands.

32% of graduate doctors were women.

April 14 - Jeanne Mathilde Sauvé (1922- 1999) is appointed the first woman Speaker of the House of Commons April 14, 1980 to January 15, 1984.

Evelyn Hart  (Born Toronto, Ontario April 4, 1956.) is  the first Canadian to be awarded a Gold Medal at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria.

June 27 - O Canada is officially declared as the national anthem of Canada.

June - Kateri Tekakwitha is beatified (one of the major steps to become a saint within the Catholic Church).

July 4 - the Canadian Post Office issues a commemorative stamp to celebrate Dame Emma Albani (1847-1930), a celebrated international opera singer.

Alexa McDonough (1944-   ) is the first woman to lead a recognized political party in Canada when she is leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.

The Government of Canada , through Fitness and Amateur Sport, (Sport Canada) creates a Women's Program.
Source: Status of Women Canada.  Adult fact Sheet Women and sports in Canada: an historical overview. (Ottawa, 2002)

The Association of Canadian Medical Colleges  reports that 32% of graduate doctors are women.
Source: Canadian Chronology Http://tdi.uregina.ca/~maguirec/chron.html (accessed April 28, 2003)

Births:
January 30 -
Born Margot Finlay, actress.
August 29 - Born Genevieve Jeanson (1981-   ) champion cyclist
September 24 - Born Amy Sky ( 1960-  ) contemporary singer.

Deaths:
March 13 -
Died Jean Flatt Davey (  -1980) the first Canadian woman doctor to enter the Canadian Armed forces.
August 18 -
Elizabeth Stern (1915-1980) pioneer medical researcher credited with early detection of cervical cancer
November 4 - Died
Elsie Gregory McGill (1905-1980) Canada's first woman graduate in electrical engineering and the first to design aircraft.
December 22 - Died Ethel Davis Wilson (1888-1980) acclaimed author.
1981 February 13 - Canadian Air Force Captains Leah Mosher, Nora Bottomley and Dee Brasseur graduate as the first Canadian female military pilots.
 

February 14 - some 1,300 women from across Canada marched into the Parliament buildings and held their own Ad Hoc Women and the Constitution Conference to debate the proposed Canadian Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Second-Lieutenant Inge Plug is the first woman helicopter pilot in the Canadian Forces. Source "Women throughout Canadian military history." in Canadian Forces Personnel Newsletter Issue 2/05 23 February 2005.

Abby Hoffman (1947-   )   becomes the first woman director of Sport Canada, a part of the federal government.
Source: Status of Women Canada.  Adult fact Sheet Women and sports in Canada: an historical overview. (Ottawa, 2002)

The Women in Coaching Program is established by the Coaching Association of Canada.
Source: Status of Women Canada.  Adult fact Sheet Women and sports in Canada: an historical overview. (Ottawa, 2002)


47% of students in university undergraduate programs are women. 37% of women enrolled in university graduate programs are women.
Source: Canadian Chronology Http://tdi.uregina.ca/~maguirec/chron.html (accessed April 28, 2003)

The Canadian Historic Sites and Monuments Board declares Tookoolito and her husband, Ipirvik, National Historic Persons. Source: Directory of Designations http://pc.gc.ca (accessed July 2005)

Deaths:
October 17
- Died Dorothy Louise Walton (1909-1981) one of the top badminton players in Canada
November 2 -
Died Thérèse Casgrain (1896-1981), social activist, feminist and the first individual Canadian woman to appear on Canadian money ( 50.00 bill 2004) 
 

1982 Canada enters the worst depression since the 1930's.

March 4 - Bertha Wilson (1923-   ) is the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. 

May 23 - Mother Marie-Rose
née Eulalie Durocher (1811-1849) is beatified ( a step towards becoming a saint) by the Roman Catholic Church.

May 28 - Karen Mitchell establishes MADD - Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving. to commemorate the death of her daughter who was killed by a drunk driver.

July 26 -Karen Diane Baldwin is the first Canadian to ever win the Miss Universe beauty contest. Source : Miss Universe web pages.

October 31 - Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700) is canonized (becomes a saint) in the Roman Catholic Church. She is the first Canadian woman to become a saint.

The Canadian Women's Studies Association is founded. Source A Chronology of the development of women's studies in Canada. The Canadian Electronic Feminist Network http://www.unb.ca/PAR-L/chronology1.htm (accessed April 28, 2003. )

The Society for Women in Science and technology holds its first world conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.
ource: Canadian Chronology Http://tdi.uregina.ca/~maguirec/chron.html (accessed April 28, 2003)


Gwendolyn Ringwood (1910-1984.)  is the first Canadian playwright to publish a volume of collected plays.

Iona Campagnolo
  (1932-    .)  is  the first woman President of the Liberal Party of Canada.

The YWCA in Peterborough, Ontario publishes Fresh Start, a book for women in abusive situations
- the book is translated into several languages and tens of thousands of copies are sold. Source: History of the YWCA  http://www.ywcacanada.ca/

Births:
July 24 -
Born Anna Paquin, academy award winning actress.


Deaths:
Died Elizabeth Goudie (1902-1982) a writer she recorded the firs history of family life in the wilds of Labrador.
January 5 - Died Elizabeth Catherine Bagshaw (1881-1982)
February 13 - Died Miriam Mandel (1930-1982) a poet and author , winner of a Governor General's award in literature.

1983 March 30 - Bertha Wilson (1923-   ) is sworn in as Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.

December - Dr. Roberta Lynn Bondar (1945-    )  is selected as one of the original 6 , and the first woman Canadian astronaut.

Deaths:
May 4 -
Died
Lenore Talbot Crawford (1909-1983) Journalist who maintained a weekly column in the London free press.
May 23 -
Died Winnifred Blair Drummie  (1903-1983) the first Miss Canada, 1923.
June 12 -
Died
Norma Shearer (1900-1983) movie star and Academy Award best actress.
July 13 -
Died Gabrielle Roy,(1909-1983)  internationally renouned author and winner of Governor's General Award.
November 4 - Died Betty Lambert (1933-1983) prolific Canadian playwright.
December 2 - Died Fifi D'Orsay (1904-1983) vaudeville performer and early movie actress known as the French Bombshell.
1984 May 14 - Jeanne Mathilde Sauvé (1922-1999.) becomes the first woman Governor General of Canada.

Transport Canada changes regulations to allow a pilot who is pregnant to fly "while under her doctor's supervision".
Source: Rosella Bjornson, Canadian Hall of Fame inductee. Canadian Ninety-nines http://www.canadian99s.org/articles (accessed July 18, 2005)


The Canadian government, through the Secretary of State,  establishes five regional chairs across the country in women's studies with and endowment fund at Mt. St Vincent University, Laval University, Ottawa Carleton Universities . University of Manitoba and Simon Fraser University. Source A Chronology of the development of women's studies in Canada. The Canadian Electronic Feminist Network http://www.unb.ca/PAR-L/chronology1.htm (accessed April 28, 2003. )

Summer - Linda Thom (1943-  ) [shooting], Lori Fung, (1963-   ) [Rhythmic Gymnastics], Sylvie Bernier (1964-  )  [diving] , and Anne Ottenbrite (1966-  ) [swimming] win gold medals at the Los Angeles Olympics.

August - Lisa Buscombe becomes Canada's first Archery World Field Champion in Finland. Source: Federation of Canadian Archers.

September 11 - Mother Marie-Léonie (1840-1912) is the first to be beatified ( a step towards becoming a saint) on Canadian soil during the Papal visit to Canada.

33% of medical school students and 50% of law school students in Canada are women.

Daurene E. Lewis is elected mayor of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. She is the first female black mayor in North America. ( http://www.coolwomen.ca/ )

Marianne Scott is the first woman to be appointed as National Librarian,
at the level of a deputy minister in the federal government, a position she held until her retirement in 1999.

Ursula Martius Franklin ( 1921-   )
became the first woman to be named a university professor at the University of Toronto.

Deaths:
May 24 -
Died
Gwendolyn Ringwood (1910-1984) Governor General Award winner or outstanding service to Canadian Drama.
October 8 -
Died Francoise Aubut, renowned organist and educator.
1985 The United Nations holds an international conference on women's issues in Nairobi. It is 10 years since the UN declared the International year of the woman.

The Canadian Indian Act is changed to restore Indian status to many women and their children as well as to enfranchised native veterans. This bill ends more than 100 years of legislative discrimination against aboriginal women not having native status. The United nations Human Rights Commission high lighted this injustice with a ruling for a complaint brought before the UNHRC in 1977 by Sandra Lovelace.

The Canadian Divorce Act eliminates discrimination on the basis of sex with respect to the right to divorce or the custody of children.

The Canada Pension Act is amended to continue disability pensions at the married rate for one year after the death of a veteran.

The Canadian First Minister's Conference on the Economy endorses 'A framework for Economic Equality for Canadian Women'.
Source: Progress towards equality of women in Canada . Canada. Status of Women Canada. 1995.

April 17 - Canada Post issues a commemorative stamp honouring the life of Thérèse Casgrain (1896-1981), a leader in rights for Canadian women and respected politician.

August - Lisa Buscombe retains her title as World Champion in the sport of Field Archery. Source: Federation of Canadian Archers.

Bonnie Cappuccino is director and founder of Child Haven International, a not-for-profit organization that helps destitute women and children around the world.

Lynn Johnston (1947-   )   is the first woman to win the Reuben Award for outstanding cartoonist of the year from the national Cartoonist Society and in 1988 she became the first woman to be president of this society.

Deaths:
February 2 -
Died
Micheline Saint-Marcoux (1938-1985) composer and teacher.
April 27 -
Died Marcelle Ferron. (1924-1985) , a member of a group of artists known as Les Automatistes.
June 12 - Died
Elizabeth Pauline MacCallum (1895-1985), diplomat.
Died
Esther Marjorie Hill, (1895-1985) first Canadian woman to become a graduate architect.
1986 April 14 - Canada Post issues a commemorative stamp honouring the life of Molly Brant (1736-1796), a renownd aboriginal leader in Canadian history.

May 2 - October 13 -
Vancouver, British Columbia hosts Expo 86.

3% of judges in Canada are women.  Source: Canadian Chronology Http://tdi.uregina.ca/~maguirec/chron.html (accessed April 28, 2003)

Sharon Adele Wood (1957-    ) is the first woman from the Western hemisphere to stand on top of the world on Mt. Everest.

Sports Canada issues a Policy on Women in Sport, calling for equal opportunities for women and men to compete, coach, officiate and administer sport at all levels.
Source: Status of Women Canada.  Adult fact Sheet Women and sports in Canada: an historical overview. (Ottawa, 2002)

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) releases its policy on sex-role stereotyping in Canadian broadcasting.
Source: Progress towards equality of women in Canada . Canada. Status of Women Canada. 1995.

Federal Employment Equity legislation, which covers federally regulated industries, ensures equitable participation of women in a paid workforce.
Source: Progress towards equality of women in Canada . Canada. Status of Women Canada. 1995.

The Public Service of Canada launches special initiatives to increase training, apprenticeship and hiring of women in 'non-traditional' occupations in the federal Public Service.
Source: Progress towards equality of women in Canada . Canada. Status of Women Canada. 1995.
Deaths:
Died
Dora Russell (1912-1986) teacher, journalist and community worker with Girl Guides.
September 6 -
Died
Jeanne Fisher Marnery ( 1908-1986) the first woman appointed professor in Biochemistry at the University of Toronto (1964)
September 15 -
Died
Judith Crawley,(1914-1986)  film producer, director and scriptwriter.
December 30 -
Died Cassie Eileen Brown (1919-1986) journalist and author.
1987 Sheila Copps  (1952-  ) becomes the first member of the Canadian Parliament to have a baby while holding office.

The Raging Grannies is first organized in Victoria British Columbia. They were looking for a different way to protest and set off a spark for a future international organization that allows older women to serve with a purpose.

Dr. Geraldine Kenney-Wallace is the
first woman appointed Chair of the Science Council of Canada.

In the Canadian Air Force, combat roles, including flying fighter aircraft like the CF-18 and tactical helicopters become open to women for the first time. Source Canada Women's Foundation. History of the women's movement: selected moments of importance in the history of Canadian women , 2004 http://cdnwomen.org.

The federal government's Canadian Jobs Strategy is ammended to enable immigrant women to access language training in order to compete in the labour market.
Source: Progress towards equality of women in Canada . Canada. Status of Women Canada. 1995.

The British Columbia Coalition for Abortion Clinics ( Now the Pro-choice Action Network) is founded to establish abortion clinics in British Columbia.
Source : A History of Abortion in Canada http://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/history.html (accessed July 30, 2003)
 


Deaths:
January 5 -
Died Margaret Lawrence, (1926-1987) award winning author.
August 1 - Died Evelyn Merle Nelson (1943-1987) renownd mathematician.

September 26 -
Died Ethel Catherwood, (1908-1987) member of the first Canadian women's Olympic team.
November 24 -
Died
Jehane Benoit (1904-1987) rebound chef and author who was an officer in the Order of Canada.
1988 United Nations Peacekeepers (including Canadians) win the Nobel Peace Prize.

January 28 - The Supreme Court of Canada declares  Canadian abortion law as unconstitutional. The law is found to violate section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms because it infringes upon a woman's right to life, liberty and security of the person.
Source : A History of Abortion in Canada http://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/history.html (accessed July 30, 2003)


October 2 - Carolyn Waldo wins a gold medal in synchronized swimming and a second gold in the duet synchronized swimming with Michelle Cameron. Waldo is the first Canadian woman to win two gold medals at a Summer Olympics. Source Canadian Milestones. Canada.com (Accessed October 2, 2000)

The Canada Scholarship Program is established to encourage undergraduate studies in natural sciences and engineering. Part of the requirements of the program is that half of the recipients must be women.
Source: Progress towards equality of women in Canada . Canada. Status of Women Canada. 1995.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation develops the  Project Haven Program, creating emergency shelters for abused women and children.
Source: Progress towards equality of women in Canada . Canada. Status of Women Canada. 1995.

Vicki Keith Munro. (1961-  .)  A superb marathon swimmer, becomes the first person to swim cross all five North American Great Lakes. She swims the Great Lakes to earn money for charity.

Ethel Blondin us the first Native woman to sit in the Canadian House of Commons.

Sheila Hellstrom is the first woman Brigadier-General in the Canadian Armed Forces. Source "Women throughout Canadian military history." in Canadian Forces Personnel Newsletter Issue 2/05 23 February 2005.

Private Shannon Wills is the first woman to win the Queen's Medal for Champions Shot of the Canadian Reserve Forces at Connaught Ranges, Ottawa, Ontario.  Source "Women throughout Canadian military history." in Canadian Forces Personnel Newsletter Issue 2/05 23 February 2005.

Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino become the first Canadians presented with the UNESCO Prize for Teaching of Human Rights.

Canadian women college graduates earn an average salary of under $20,000.
Canadian men with an education of Grade 8 or less received an average annual income of $22,387.

Dr Allie Vibert Douglas (1894-1988) has a planet named Vibert Douglas in her honour.
Source: Historical figures in Astronomy by Carmen Rush, Royal Astronomy Society of Canada http://www.ottawa.rasc.ca/astronomy/history/av_douglas/ (accessed July 28, 2005)


Births:
October 10 - Born Karen Percy, Olympic medalist in skiing.

Deaths:
January 2 -
Died
Vega Dawson (1894- 1988) Order of the British Empire for war services.
January 15 -
Died Audrey Burger (1912-1988) Social activist for public housing.
February 1 -
Died Doris Buckingham (1910-1988) a stage and radio actress who created Vancouver's Theatre Under the Stars.
February 18 - Died Dorothy Bruce Garbutt (1897-1988) journalist & historian, host of the CBC program "Houses I have known."
March 2 - Died Sister Ethelberta (1900-1988) brought her religious order to Canada and was hospital administrator.
April 5 -
Died Marjorie Brook (1898-1988) hospital administrator.
April 19 - Died Ethel Mary Bennett (1891-1988) award winning writer of historical novels.
April 26 - Died Dorothy Danzker (    -1988) Winnipeg community worker.
May 3 - Died Sheila Cantor (1939-1988) internationally renownd researcher in the field of schizophrenia.
May 17 - Died
Nora Ellen Dunwoody (1899-1988) she was known for establishing gift shops as fund raisers for hospital auxiliaries
June 6 - Died Margaret Craig Eaton Dunn (1913-1988) Director General Canadian Women's Army Corp 1944.
July 2 - Died
Allie Vibert Douglas (1894-1988) first woman in Canada to graduate with a PhD in astrophysics.
July 4- Died Constance Eleda Brewster (1888-1988) a well respected nursing administrator in Hamilton, Ontario. 
         - Died Gwendda Dorothy Owen Davies (1896-1988) concert pianist and teacher of music.
July 22 - Died
Ann Conner Brimer (1940-1988) educator and promoter of books for children.
August 10 - Died Agnes Fontaine (1912-1988) a mother of 15 who received the QE Coronation Medal for community Services. 

August 22 - Died Frances Adaskin (1903-1988) award winning singer who championed the works of Canadian composers.
October 28 - Died
Ethel Viola Bieber (1920-1988) national and provincial swimming champion of the 1930's.
November - Died Laura Banks (1914-1988) TV broadcaster who used the name of Laura Lindsay.
November 9 - Died Phyllis Burgess (1917-1988) administrator & developer of nursing strategies for treatment of cancer patients.
November 19 - Died Helen Birdsall (1906-1988) dance instructor and choreographer to the CNE in the 1920's and 1930's.
1989 Heather Erxleben becomes the first Canadian woman to be a combat soldier.  She graduates from Canadian Forces Base, Wainwright, Alberta.

Jane Foster and Deanna Brasseur pass course to become
Canada's first two female fighter pilots available for combat roles...possible they are the first women in the world.

Audrey McLaughlin, (1936-   ) of the New Democratic Party, is the first woman federal leader of a Canadian political party.
 

January - Kim Campbell (1947-  ) is appointed Minister of State for Indian and Northern Development. . Source Club de Madrid. Kim Campbell  http://www.clubmadrid.org   (accessed January 2006)


December 6 - 14 young  female engineering students are murdered by a gunman at Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal. 

December 11 - Monique Frize ,
at the University of New Brunswick, is the first Chair of Women in Engineering (perhaps the first in the world) Her first official duty is to attend the funeral of the murdered engineering students in Montreal. Source A Chronology of the development of women's studies in Canada. The Canadian Electronic Feminist Network http://www.unb.ca/PAR-L/chronology1.htm (accessed April 28, 2003. )

Chantal Daigle of Chibougamou, Quebec has an abortion, despite her former boyfriend’s seeking of an injunction preventing the abortion which was upheld by the Quebec Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court overturned the case in favor of Daigle.


Dr Henry Morgentaler is arrested in Nova Scotia when he operates a clinic in the province after the provincial government passes legislation prohibition abortions at clinics. Source : A History of Abortion in Canada http://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/history.html (accessed July 30, 2003)

The federal government introduces Bill C-43, an amendment to the Criminal Code of Canada that would prohibit abortion unless a doctor finds the pregnancy is a threat to the woman's physical, mental or psychological health. Source : A History of Abortion in Canada http://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/history.html (accessed July 30, 2003)
 

The Canadian one dollar bill is replaced with a coin. The depiction of a common loon, a type of bird, on the coin leads to the coin being commonly called a "loonie".

Deaths:
Died Helen Mary Creighton (1899-1989) distinguished folklorist.
January 29 - Died
Beatrice Lillie, (1894-1989) outstanding comedic actress of her era.
March 9 - Died
Hilda Strike (1910 - 1989 ) Olympic medalist in 1932

 

   

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