The NDP is pushing Canada to put Canadian women on our money, and we couldn’t agree more! “It’s time to break through the paper ceiling and feature prominent Canadian women on Canada’s money bills,” says its status of women critic Sheila Malcolmson. And why shouldn’t we? Check out these 10 notable Canadian women whose mugs we’d love to see on our money.
Roberta Bondar
What millennial girl didn’t have fantasies of one day growing up and becoming Roberta Bondar? Why? Because she was Canada’s first female astronaut! And as if that weren’t enough, she was also the first neurologist in space.
Rosemary Brown
This Jamaica-born politician Rosemary Brown was the first black Canadian woman to get elected to Canada’s provincial legislature. The B.C. politician worked fearlessly for the causes she believed in, namely, women’s equality, rights for minorities and support for vulnerable populations.
Doris Anderson
This outspoken author and journalist was a huge advocate for equal rights and proportional representation. Doris Anderson was also the editor of Chatelaine in the ’60s and ’70s, and her sharpwitten prose shaped a nation of Canadian feminists.
Demasduit
The Beothuk are a little-known indigenous population who once lived in Newfoundland — little known because their population got wiped out completely when they had to defend themselves against invading Europeans. And Demasduit is one of the last known of her people. Commemorating a famous Beothuk woman would serve as a powerful reminder of a true but tragic moment in Canadian history.
Portia White
Portia White was a famous Nova Scotia opera singer, named “a person of national historic significance” by the government of Canada. White has quite the legacy, as she was the first African-Canadian trained in Canada to perform internationally.
Louise Arbour
Canada’s most noteworthy judge, Louise Arbour, fearlessly investigated genocide in Rwanda and war crimes in former Yugoslavia. She dedicated her life to serving justice, also serving as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Buffy Sainte-Marie is a self-taught Native Canadian singer/songwriter who has dedicated her life to promoting pacifism and social activism. We also love the fact that this talented woman is passionate about education, creating curriculum to help raise self-esteem and a sense of cultural identity amongst Native youth.
Léa Roback
Famous Canadian suffragist Léa Roback boldly campaigned against racism and injustice. The Quebec feminist was also a trade union organizer who worked to promote pacifism.
Nellie McClung
Where would Canadian women be without Nellie McClung and the other members of the “Famous Five” who advocated on behalf of women’s right to sit in the Senate? She also argued for fair divorce laws to protect the interests of women, famously arguing: “Why are pencils equipped with erasers if not to correct mistakes?” Hear! Hear!
Emily Carr
And who can forget Emily Carr, one of Canada’s most iconic modernist and post-impressionist painters? Carr is best known for her landscapes and works inspired by the Pacific Northwest, but she didn’t get any recognition until late in her career. So let’s pay homage to her on one of our bills!
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