Thursday, December 17, 2009

Elizabeth Manley

Figure Skater

Born in Trenton, Ontario in 1965; moved to Ottawa in 1974.

Best known for her electrifying free program at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

Won silver medals at both the 1988 Winter Olympics and the 1988 World Championships.

Skated in ice shows and television specials, then turned to coaching, first in Florida, then Philadelphia and finally in Ottawa at the Elizabeth Manley rink.

Published two autobiographies.

Spokesperson for Ovarian Cancer Canada's Winners Walk of Hope.

Member of the Order of Canada in 1988.

www.sports-reference.com

Friday, November 20, 2009

Isobel Stanley (Lady)

Women's Hockey Pioneer

Was the daughter of former Governor General of Canada Lord Stanley of Preston. Mr. Stanley was the sixth Governor General of Canada from 1888 to 1893.

While she lived in Ottawa, Isobel Stanley helped to popularize ice hockey in Canada and is considered one of the first women to play the game.

One of the first women to be photographed with a puck and stick circa 1890 while playing hockey on the natural ice rink beside Government House (now known as Rideau Hall) in Ottawa. The rink was built by her father, Lord Stanley who was Canada's Governer General from 1888 to 1893. The whole family played hockey together including their mother Lady Stanley.

The first recorded women's hockey game was played on March 8, 1889 as reported by the Ottawa Evening Journal. The game was between Government House team and the Rideau Ladies team. Stanley was part of the lineup for Government House.

She played an instrumental role in getting her father Lord Stanley to donate a trophy to hockey hence the Stanley Cup.

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca
www.kgha.ca

Moyra J. McDill

Professor of Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa

Obtained a B.Eng., an M.Eng. and a Ph.D.from Carleton University in Ottawa.

Full professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Carleton University and Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies.

Co-author of multiple technical papers related to the numerical simulation of manufacturing processes such as welding as well as a number of papers related to women in engineering.

In 2007, published "When Cancer Entered the Family: How We Lived, Laughed, Cried and Survived", Novalis Publishing Company, Ottawa.

Techniques developed by Dr. McDill have been used by international researchers and by such companies as Volvo and Bayer.

Served for seven years as a Governor-in-Council Appointed Commissioner of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).

Leading advocate and researcher on gender issues within the engineering profession.

First woman to complete a doctorate degree in mechanical engineering at Carleton University, the first female faculty member hired by the department and the first woman to be promoted to full professor in the faculty of engineering.

Recognized with awards for Student’s Choice, Teaching Achievement, and Favourite Professor.

www.engineergirl.org
www.peo.on.ca
www2.carleton.ca

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Madge Macbeth

Journalist, writer

Born Madge Hamilton Lyons in Philadelphia, USA in 1881; moved to Ottawa circa 1904.

Educated at Hellmuth Ladies' College, London, Ontario.

Writer of first-wave feminist fiction. Her first novel was The Winning Game in 1910. Tackled pertinent political and social issues of her time such as the right of women to perform traditionally male occupations (The Patterson Limit, 1923) and the double day of labour for married women (Shackles, 1926).

Was a prolific writer - articles, short stories, novels, memoirs, radio and stage drama, history; published articles in Canadian Courier and Mayfair magazines.

Founding member of the Canadian Authors Association, being its first woman, and only three-time national president. Headed the Ottawa branch of the CAA.

Actively involved in the Canadian Women´s Press Club and the Ottawa Drama League. Founding organizer of the Ottawa Little Theatre, Canada's longest running community theatre.

Granddaughter of Louisa Hart Maffitt, one of the first professional American press women.

Wrote a column titled "Over my shoulder", featured in the Ottawa Citizen throughout the 1950s.

Key figure behind the establishment of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Wrote The Superwoman, in 1926, possibly the first Canadian play written for radio.

www.borealispress.com
www.bookrags.com
www.jrank.org
www.carleton.ca/womensstudies

Ruby Heap

Professor

"Leadership can and must come in many forms. I strongly believe that diverse points of view and ways of doing things enrich an organization." - Ruby Heap

Born in Montréal, Québec; works in Ottawa.

Full professor, History Department, University of Ottawa; fields of interest are history of women, history of education and history of the professions in Canada, 19th-20th centuries.

Professor of the year in 2007, Faculty of Arts.

Coordinator of the University of Ottawa Women in Engineering Research Group, founding director of the Institute of Women’s Studies and assistant vice-dean at the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies since 2001.

Active researcher, author of three books, a textbook, multiple chapters and articles, and co-editor of three volumes, one of which was awarded the Founders’ Prize of the Canadian History of Education Association.

www.history.uottawa.ca
www.media.uottawa.ca

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Honouring Women in the City of Ottawa

City Hall Lawn Named for Marion Dewar
As of September 25, 2009, City hall’s north lawn is renamed after former mayor Marion Dewar. Marion Dewar was mayor of Ottawa from 1978 to 1985. Read my post on Marion Dewar under "D" in this blog.

www.ottawacitizen.com

Streets and Hall named for Charlotte Whitton
Whitton Hall was opened in 1973, in the former city hall building on Green Island. The other locations bearing the Whitton name in Ottawa are two streets in Overbrook, Whitton Place and Whitton Crescent.

Charlotte Whitton was Ottawa's first female mayor. Read my post on her under "W" in this blog.

www.ottawacitizen.com

Streets in the Glebe Named for Mutchmor Daughters
The following streets in the Glebe neighbourhood were named for female members of the Mutchmor family: Adelaide, Ella and Muriel. In the 1860's, the Mutchmor family farm covered the land south of Fifth Avenue to Broadway, and extended from Bronson Avenue in the west to Main Street in the east. Part of this property had been expropriated by Colonel By to build the canal.

www.communitytree.com

Zoé's Lounge named for a musician, wife of Prime Minister Laurier
The lounge was named after Sir Wilfrid Laurier's beloved wife Zoé. She  was a young piano teacher known for her kindness and simplicity. Read my post on her under "Wives of Canadian Prime Ministers".

http://www.fairmont.com/laurier/GuestServices/Restaurants/ZoesLounge.htm

Claudette Cain Park
Claudette Cain was the mayor in the city of Gloucester, Ontario from 1991 until 2001 when Gloucester became part of the city of Ottawa. A small park near Riverside South, used for soccer, is named for her. Read my post on her under "C".

http://wikimapia.org/1191501/Claudette-Cain-Park

Jean Edmonds Towers
Two towers of office buildings located at 300 Slater Street in Ottawa are named for Jean Edmonds. She was a pioneer journalist and a public servant who eventually became the first woman executive in the federal government as an executive director with the Department of Manpower and Immigration in 1966. Read my post on her under "E".

www.famouscanadianwomen.com

Dr. Lotta Day
In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of its most prominent and beloved residents, the City of Ottawa has proclaimed November 28, 2009 to be “Dr Lotta Hitschmanova Day”.

The proclamation notes that Dr Lotta, who founded USC Canada (Unitarian Service Committee) in 1945, “dedicated her life to helping people in far-off lands” and that she “helped mobilize Canadians from coast to coast to coast, putting Ottawa on the map as not only a seat of national government and political debate, but also a center of Canadian concern for the rest of the world.”

There is a bust of Dr. Hitschmanova in the Worship Hall of the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa on Cleary Avenue with whom she orginally founded the Unitarian Service Committee.

Read a more complete post on her under "H".

http://usc-canada.org
http://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca

Agnes Macphail Bust, House of Commons
Agnes Macphail became the first female Member of Parliament in Canadian history after she was elected to the House of Commons in 1921. The Agnes Macphail bust is located outside the House of Commons, Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Ontario.

The bronze bust of Agnes Macphail was created by a young Austrian refugee called Felix de Weldon, who later became a famous sculptor. A ceremony to unveil the bust was hold on March 8, 1955.

Cairine Wilson Bust, Senate of Canada
Cairine Wilson beame the first female Senator in Canadian history after she was appointed in 1930. The Cairine Wilson bust is located in the Senate ante chamber of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Ontario.

The white marble portrait bust was sculpted in 1939 by Felix de Weldon. At the age of seventy-five, Cairine Wilson attended the unveiling of her likeness at a ceremony on June 10, 1960 in the Red Chamber of the Senate. You can read about her on this blog under "W".

www.heroines.ca

Canadian Nursing Sister's Memorial, Parliament of Ottawa
The Canadian Nursing Sister's Memorial commemorates the contribution of nurses in Canada from the earliest days until World War I. The memorial panel is mounted in the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Ontario in the Hall of Honour located in the Centre Block. Montreal artist G.W. Hill sculpted the panel in Italy, from marble of the Carara quarries.

www.heroines.ca

Women Are Persons! Monument, Parliament Hill
The Women are Persons! Monument is located on the grounds of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. The monument was unveiled at a special event on October 18, 2000 to commemorate the Persons Case and the Famous Five women.

Five Alberta women fought to have Canadian women recognized constitutionally as "persons" who were eligible to be named to the Senate. Emily Murphy led the battle and she was supported by Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Nellie Mcclung. The Supreme Court of Canada rejected their case in 1928 but the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council decided in favour of the women on October 18, 1929. These courageous ladies came to be known as the "Famous Five" and October 18 is now known as Persons Day in Canada.

www.heroines.ca

Wilson House
In 1982, Wilson House at Elmwood School (originally called Rockliffe Prep School) was created and named in honour of Cairine Wilson, Canada's first female senator and Elmwood patron. Wilson attended Elmwood and was Head girl in her final year.

www.elmwood.ca
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmwood_School_%28Ottawa%29

Susan Mann House
The Women Studies House at the University of Ottawa, located at 134 Séraphin-Marion (near Tabaret Hall) is named in honour of Canadian historian Susan Mann (Trofimenkoff). You can read a post on her under "M".

www.uottawa.ca

Theatre Seat Named for Gladys Cameron McGregor Watt
Upon retirement from the Ottawa Little Theatre, Gladys Cameron McGregor Watt was presented with a seat bearing her name in the theatre as a way to honour her for her contribution to live theatre in the city. Read her entry under "M" in this blog.

www.famouscanadianwomen.com

The Pauline Jewett Institute of Women's and Gender Studies
The Women's Studies Institute at Carleton University was renamed The Pauline Jewett Institute of Women's and Gender Studies. You can read a post on her under "J".

École Charlotte-Lemieux
In November 1988, the Public School Board of Eastern Ontario named a school in honour of Charlotte Lemieux in Ottawa West. She is the first francophone to be director of education for a school board in Ontario and has received the Order of Canada for her exceptional contribution to youth education. Read an entry on her under “L”.

Elizabeth Manley International Rink and Liz Manley Park
Rink at the Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex in Orleans was named for Olympic skater Elizabeth Manley as was a park in the Huntclub area. You can read a post on her under "M".

Sylva M. Gelber Piano Studio
The main piano studio of the University of Ottawa Piano Pedagogy Research Laboratory was named in honour of Sylva M. Gelber in 2007. The room is located at the Piano Pedagogy Research Laboratory, Pérez Hall, Room 207, at 50 University Street, Ottawa.

http://www.media.uottawa.ca/mediaroom/news-details_1372.html

Myrtha Lapierre Day
In 1956, Myrtha left Haiti for Ottawa to complete her post secondary education. She subsequently earned her nursing diploma (1959), along with a BA in Nursing Education, (1961), and a Master in Education (1975), all from Ottawa University, along with Human Resources Management, Intercultural Communications and Conflict Resolution certificates. Myrtha went on to teach nursing for 45 years; 36 years full-time and 9 years part-time (1961-2005). Myrtha was the first Black Francophone nurse in the Ottawa region.

Through her volunteer work, she has empowered 1000 immigrant female nursing to succeed in the provincial education and health systems. She has also facilitated cross-cultural sensitization to students, teachers and service providers of the mainstream, from La Cité collégiale and community health centres; facilitated discussions on the attitude of Canadian-born staff toward afro-Caribbean people affected with Sickle cell Anemia and/or HIV/AIDS; and worked on committees to collect and send medical supplies to Haiti.

She started a fund at Ottawa University to help educate Haitians and other professionals who are attempting to gain professional recognition/designation in Ontario.

In 2006, the City of Ottawa has declared October 25th to be “Martha Lapierre Day”.

http://sites.google.com/site/bourseml/home/bio-english

Linda Thom Park
This small urban park is located in Old Ottawa South at 1324 Bank street at Billings Bridge. It honours Olympian Linda Thom who won a gold medal in shooting at the 1984 Summer Olympics. She is the only Canadian to have won an Olympic medal in this sport. The park includes an oversize replica of her gold medal.

Hélène Campbell Day
March 30th, 2012 will be Hélène Campbell Day in the capital, as Councillor Doug Thompson launches the Ottawa leg of the Torch of Life Relay by honouring the 20-year-old Barrhaven woman whose battle with idiopathic lung fibrosis has inspired thousands of people to volunteer to become organ donors.

Béatrice Desloges Catholic High School
The school École secondaire Béatrice-Desloges is named after an early twentieth century Franco-Ontarian teacher in Ottawa who, with her sister Diane, successfully opposed Regulation 17 which aimed at rendering illegal all French language teaching in the province of Ontario. The school opened its doors in 1997.

Sheila E. McKee Park
On June 14, 2012, the city of Ottawa named a West Carleton-March park in honour of Sheila E. McKee. The park, located at 1730 Sixth Line Rd., was formerly named Riverfront Park. Ms. McKee was honoured for her extensive contribution to her community. You can read a post on her in this blog under the letter "M".


Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Marta Mulkins

Lieutenant Commander

Studied in Ottawa.

First woman to command a Canadian naval warship (August 2004); captain of the 970-ton HMCS Kingston.

Graduated as a landscape architect from Carleton’s School of Industrial Design in Ottawa.

Selected as a winner of a 2004 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: top 100TM award in the Trailblazer category. As a Trailblazer, Lt. Cmdr Mulkins represents women who are the first in their fields and/or have made a great contribution to Canadian society.

www.now.carleton.ca
www.navy.forces.gc.ca

Friday, May 29, 2009

The Chelsea Club

Founded in Ottawa in 1926.

The Chelsea Club was founded in 1926 by a group of 227 women, including future Ottawa mayor Charlotte Whitton.

At its 1926 founding, the club was described as “quite the finest achievement yet in Ottawa for women and by women.".

It once held annual tea-parties for the wife of the Governor General.

Its membership has included prominent women senators, members of Parliament, lawyers and university Chancellors.

www.ottawacitizen.com

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Catherine Ahearn

Writer

Born in Ottawa in 1949.

Obtained an M.A. from the University of Ottawa in 1971 and a Ph.D. in 1979 (French Literature).

Worked as a professor and writer until 1981 where she became the president of Poasis Properties Ltd. in Ottawa, Ontario.

First Poet Laureate of the City of Ottawa in 1982. The post was created to "help promote the City of Ottawa as well as enrich the lives of its citizens". It was Mayor Marion Dewar who made the position official, and named Ahearn the first Ottawa poet laureate; Ahearn wrote six poems a year for three years, and attended various civic and community group functions across the city.

www.endicott.edu
www.poetrymap.ca

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Queen Victoria

Ottawa's Founding Mother

Although Queen Victoria was not born in Ottawa and did not live in Ottawa, she is mentioned in this blog because she is the one who chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada.

Queen Victoria named Ottawa the capital of the United Province (Quebec and Ontario) of Canada on December 31, 1857.

In the 1840s and 1850s, the location of the capital had been a matter of dispute. It had moved between Kingston, Montreal, Toronto and Quebec City. The rivals could not agree on a permanent capital, so the matter was deferred to the young Queen Victoria.

Ottawa was likely chosen as the capital because it was on the border of the two provinces, had a mixed population of English and French-speaking inhabitants, was easily reached by water, was far from the American border, was seen as a neutral and central location within Canada, being situated on the border between Canada East (Quebec) and Canada West (Ontario) and it was in a secure, easily defended position.

Ottawa also already had publicly held lands available for the construction of government buildings and the stone and wood needed to construct the Parliament buildings. These lands had been acquired by Colonel By. Before being called Ottawa, the city was called Bytown in honour of this colonel.

Ottawa was far from a popular choice at the time as it was a rough lumber town. It has since blossomed into Canada's fourth largest city.

www.canadascapital.gc.ca
www.tabaret.uottawa.ca

Monday, May 4, 2009

Suzanne Cloutier

Film actress

People were enchanted by her freshness, her extraordinary capacity for invention, and her acumen in pursuing her ends, and I must admit, I was among them. - Peter Ustinov

Born in Ottawa in 1927.

Became a Powers Model in New York at the age of 18.

Was a member of Jean Dasté's Comédie Française touring company in Paris.

Appeared as Desdemona in Orson Welles' 1952 film adaptation of Othello. It was her most celebrated role. She was the 11th actor Welles auditioned for the role.

Married Peter Ustinov in 1954.

Moved back to Canada in 1988 and lived in Montreal where she passed away in 2003.

www.guardian.co.uk
www.wikipedia.org

Kristina Groves

Olympic long-track speedskater
Ottawa's most decorated Olympic athlete

Born in Ottawa; lives in Calgary.

Single Distances World Champion on the 3000-m in 2008; won a medal in every event that she skated at these championships; also won an additional 2 silver medals and 2 bronze medals.

Placed 8th in the women's 3000-m speed skating at the 2006 Olympics and was part of the silver medal winning Canadian pursuit team. She also won a silver medal in the 1500-m.

Ottawa's female athlete of the year seven of the past eight years (a record).

One of 11 Canadian Olympic athletes, winter or summer, to win four or more Career medals at the Games.

University of Calgary's Distinguished Alumni of the Decade.

http://www.speedskating.ca
www.theottawacitizen.com

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Margaret Atwood

Writer

Born in Ottawa in 1939.

Prolific writer, internationally famous since the popular and critical success of her 1984 novel, The Handmaid's Tale.

Studied at the University of Toronto from 1957 to 1961 (E.J. Pratt Medal, 1961) and at Radcliffe College, Harvard (MA, 1962).

Among the most-honored authors of fiction in recent history; winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award and Prince of Asturias award for Literature, shortlisted for the Booker Prize five times, winning once, and finalist for the Governor General's Award seven times, winning twice.

Began her career in the 1960s, teaching English and at first publishing poetry, short stories and literary criticism.

Her novels include Surfacing (1972), Cat's Eye (1988), Alias Grace (1996) and the 2000 Booker Prize winner, The Blind Assassin.

Recipient of many honorary doctorates, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Companion of the Order of Canada and Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

www.canadianencyclopedia.com
www.library.utoronto.ca

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Josée Kurtz

Commanding Officer

Born in Joliette, Québec; studied in Ottawa.

Enlisted in the Navy in 1988.

Studied at the University of Ottawa where she obtained her B.A.; Masters in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College in Kingston.

First woman to command a major Canadian warship as of April 8, 2009; took control of the frigate HMCS Halifax which has a crew of 225.

www.canada.com
The Ottawa Citizen, April 8, 2009, A5

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Ginette Gratton

Consultant, television host, community advocate

Born in Ottawa.

Expert in strategic communication, leadership and integration of francophone immigrants.

Current host of Ginette Gratton reçoit on Rogers TV (Channel 23, French); past host of Pour tout l'amour du monde, a daily talk show on Rogers TV (Channel 23, French).

Led and coordinated multiple projects in Canada, France, Africa and in the United States.

Teacher, past coordinator of learning resources at the Centre franco-ontarien de ressources pédagogiques.

Professor, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Education; professor in Communications and Marketing at the Cité collégiale.

Advocate for francophone culture and rights in Ontario.

http://www.resaff.ca

Monday, March 2, 2009

Meredith Chivers

Professor, Sex Researcher

Born in Ottawa.

Assistant professor in the department of psychology at Queen's University; as of April 2009, also Queen's National Scholar.

International expert on female sexuality studies. Recently published a ground-breaking article in the January 25/09 edition of the New York Times, entitled “What Do Women Want?”.

Obtained her master's and doctoral degrees from Chicago's Northwestern University, research and clinical experience in Chicago and at Toronto's renowned Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Sits on the editorial boards of three respected journals, including Archives of Sexual Behavior, the world's leading publication in the field.

Speaks and delivers papers on the topic of female sexuality across Canada and the United States, in Europe, and as far afield as Egypt. Received multiple academic honours and awards.

www.canada.com

Monday, February 2, 2009

Linda Duxbury

Professor, researcher

Professor at the Sprott School of Business, Carleton University in Ottawa; teaches masters and PhD courses in Managing Change as well as the masters course in Organizational Behaviour.

Received an M.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Management Sciences from the University of Waterloo.

Conducts research which evaluates the organizational and individual impacts of E-mail, portable offices, cellular telephones, Blackberry’s, telework, flexible work arrangements, shiftwork, and change management and studying what makes a "supportive" manager.

Has published widely in the area of work-family conflict, change management, supportive work environments, stress, telework, the use and impact of office technology, managing the new workforce and supportive management.

Trainer and speaker in the area of supportive work environments, work-life balance, managing the new workforce, recruitment and retention, change management, gender and communication and the communication process.

www.hatscan.com

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Denise Beauchamp

Teacher, volunteer

Obtained the Prix Grandmaître 2006, for her career in teaching and 35 years of service to Ottawa's francophone youth.

Past president of Club Optimiste Jeunesse of the school Vision-Jeunesse.

Past president of the Conseil de pastorale of the Notre-Dame de Lourdes parish.

Past regional president of the Fédération des aînés et retraités francophones de l’Ontario (FAFO).

www.expressottawa.ca

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Nathalie Des Rosiers

Dean, Civil Law Section, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

University of Ottawa's Secretary of the University.

Incoming General Counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), set to begin her duties in July 2009.

Past president of the Law Commission of Canada (2000-2004).

Faculty member at the Faculty of Law, University of Western Ontario, from 1987 to 2000.

Past President of the Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario (AJEFO) and of the Canadian Law Teachers Association.

Past member of the Environmental Appeal Board (1988 to 2000) and a member of the Ontario Law Reform Commission (1993 to 1996).

Received the medal of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1999, the Order of Merit from the AJEFO in 2000, an honorary Degree from the Law Scoiety of Upper Canada (2004) and was “Personnalité de l’année (Education)” Le Droit –Radio-Canada in 2005.

Obtained an LL.B. from the Université de Montréal in 1981 and an LL.M. from Harvard University in 1984.

www.droitcivil.uottawa.ca
www.academicfreedom.ca

Diane Doré

Leader in education, politics and community development

Received the award, "Femmes chefs de file en développement communautaire" for her exceptional leadership work to improve the lives of women and young girls in Ottawa-Vanier.

50 years of community leadership as municipal councillor (City of Vanier), entrepreneur, school board trustee, volunteer.

Chair of the School Board, "Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre-Est (CÉCLFCE)".

Past chair of the board of directors of Muséoparc de Vanier.

Chair of the Centre Pauline-Charron and of Action Vanier, a not for profit organization.

www.expressottawa.ca
http://ecolecatholique.ca

Donna Brown

Soprano

Born in Ottawa in 1955.

Studied piano, voice and composition in Ottawa and at McGill University in Montreal before moving to Paris.

Made her debut in Paris as Micáela in Peter Brook's Tragedie De Carmen, a role she next sings for Opera Lyra in Ottawa.

Renowned for the floating, angelic quality of her voice, quickly became one of the leading sopranos in Europe, performing on many of the world's great opera and concert stages.

In the 2000-2001 season, appeared in an early music concert with Hervé Niquet at the Festival de Musique sacrée in Ottawa; collaborated with Pinchas Zukerman and the National Arts Centre Orchestra for a Haydn concert in the summer of 2001.

Has made over two dozen recordings.

www.bach-cantatas.com
www.scena.org

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Gilberte Paquette (Soeur)

Pionneer in health care

Born in 1923 in La Reine (Québec).

Joined the Sœurs de la Charité d’Ottawa in 1942.

Studied at the University of Ottawa where she obtained a BA in 1956. Also studied hospital management.

Was a teacher for 15 years.

Involved in health care in the Ottawa region from the 1950's to the 1980's.

Past CEO of the Ottawa General Hospital. Under her management, the Ottawa General Hospital became the Élisabeth Bruyère Health Centre - a center for chronic care.

Pionneered the first regional unit of palliative care in the province of Ontario.

Involved in numerous professional and community associations and recipient of many awards including the Order of Canada in 1985.

Published a book in 1993 which is part autobiography and local history - Dans le sillage d’Élisabeth Bruyère, for which she won the City of Ottawa Book prize.

In 1995, the University of Ottawa awarded her an honorary doctorate.

www.aefo.on.ca

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Adrienne Coddett

Basketball coach, teacher, youth advocate

Born in 1967.

Created the Foundation Three Dreads and a Bald Head to help people of black African descent to identify and maximize their potential, mentally, physically, spiritually and economically.

Launched the Ottawa Phoenix basketball program in 1998 with Andy Waterman; this program gives inner-city black students a chance to showcase their talents.

Worked to raise youth awareness of the global impact of HIV/AIDS.

Attended Howard University in Washington before attending the University of Ottawa for teacher training.

Taught at Woodroffe High in Ottawa.

www.communityfoundationottawa.ca

Catherine O’Grady

Producer of the Ottawa Jazz Festival

Received the Investing in People Award in 2007 for her unwavering dedication to making Ottawa a vibrant, creative city for residents and visitors alike.

Executive Producer of the Ottawa Jazz Festival and Artistic Producer of the Ottawa International Children’s Festival.

Contributed significantly to the Ottawa arts scene through her commitment to quality programming of both music and children’s theatre.

Has played an instrumental in making arts issues a priority in municipal planning for the city of Ottawa’s future.

www.communityfoundationottawa.ca

Friday, January 2, 2009

Barbara O'Connor

Leader in palliative care

“We strive to provide compassionate care wherever and whenever it’s needed”. Barbara O’Connor

Executive director of the Hospice at May Court.

N.B. The Hospice at May Court’s training program is so effective that it is now a prerequisite for volunteers at many of the region’s other hospice and palliative care programs.

Was a nurse at the Riverside Hospital in Ottawa in the early 1980s.

One of the city of Ottawa’s first professionals to provide palliative care services.

Helped establish the region’s first hospice program at a church in Sandy Hill in 1987 (The Hospice of All Saints).

Given the Investing in People Award in support of her dedication to providing respite care for people and their families as they deal with terminal illness.

www.outcarefoundation.org/
www.communityfoundationottawa.ca