I chose these women not only for their bravery and great contribution to our country and the world, but also because their stories will capture the imagination of young Canadians - They shouldn’t just get their picture on money in a world where less people use cash, they should have movies made about them! If stories like this were told in social studies instead of the boring methods in school, more children would pay attention, fewer would drop out, and our stories wouldn’t be so easily forgotten!
Dr. James Miranda Barry a.k.a. Margaret Bulkley: 1795-1865
Likely Canada’s first female surgeon, Dr. Barry presented as a man with red hair, drove around in a chariot, and had several white dogs all named Psyche. “He” travelled all around the world helping the poor and other people who wouldn’t get good medical service like lepers and prostitutes. He improved rations and living conditions of our soldiers and contributed to the study of mental health. He was only discovered to be a woman after death during the autopsy.
Anna Mae Maloney Aquash: 1945-1976
She lived a short, poverty stricken life that ended brutally with her murder. Anna was a Mi’kmaq activist who was only discovered at death because the American FBI (she was killed in the States) cut off her hands and sent them to a lab so she could be identified. But in her life, she worked hard in both countries to improve the horrible living conditions for our aboriginal citizens - no electricity, running water, or heat; turnips and potatoes to eat, and moth-ridden, ill-fitting clothes from the federal Indian Agent. Bussed off the Nova Scotian reserve to Catholic school where they were bullied and harassed. Tuberculosis and other health problems. But she survived and helped create work and educational opportunities for her people. She eventually joined AIM (the American Indian Movement), participated in protests, fundraised, organized benefit concerts with Harry Belafonte, Kris Kristoferson, and Buffy Sainte-Marie. She had legal problems and was named “the Brave Hearted Woman” in FBI files as she crisscrossed between Canada and the States. She was shot in the back of her head. In a time when Canada is finally trying to actually act towards Reconciliation with our aboriginal partners, and where we are trying to figure out the mess of the Missing Aboriginal Women and Girls, what better choice for a small symbol of respect to her struggle and life’s work?
Major Margaret C. Macdonald: 1873-1948
She was our Matron-in-Chief during World War I and helped expand the ranks of our brave nurses - you don’t have to carry a gun to be a war hero.
“During the cruel bombings of the Canadian Hospitals came experiences of the most frightening, the recollection of which must ever remain painfully idelible. Yet at the time never was a complaint uttered by these valiant women who were conspicuously undismayed in remaining at their posts” - Major Macdonald describing their actions during the repeated bombing of Boulogne, 1918.
“Queen of the Hurricanes” Elizabeth Gregory MacGill: 1905-1980
She was a really cool engineer - and daughter of my fifth nomination - She helped designe and supervised the making ofour war planes including the Hawker Hurricanes. As well as being a war hero in her own right, she served as President of the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs and was a member of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women.
Judge Helen Gregory MacGill: 1864-1947
While Helen was born into a certain amount of money, her first husband died and her second husband was a brute. She discovered that women in BC couldn’t have custody of their children because only fathers had that right. She worked to repeal the Dower Law, improve inheritance rights and wages for women, encouraged proper social welfare practices for young offenders, encouraged more family involvement in reducing and recovering from criminal activity, as well as campaigning for more female probation and police officers. As BC’s first female judge, she made great contributions to ours and the American justice system. Her daughters grew up with her strength and became powerful women in their own right - Elsie, “Queen of the Hurricanes”, and her other daughter Helen MacGill Hughes was a sociologist, editor, and writer.
I’d love it for something more than a single woman on a single bill - a MacGill bill would be entirely appropriate for all the contributions they have made to Canada.
I very much appreciate that the consultation for this currency allows for five nominations because, as you can imagine, choosing between my five choices (not to mention many, many, more options) would be impossible.
My source:
100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces by Merna Forster
100 More Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces by Merna Forster
100 More Canadian Heroines
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