Claire Faubert

Actress, artistic director, teacher, volunteer

Born in Orléans, Ontario in 1946.

Has a BA in Lettres françaises from the University of Ottawa and an MA from the Institut d’études théâtrales, Paris III (Sorbonne).

Joined the ranks of Ottawa's professional artistic community in the late sixties, having appeared and worked for all of the principal French language companies on both sides of the Ottawa River. She regularly performed on all the National Art Centre stages and at the Théâtre de l'Île in Gatineau.

Left for Paris in 1981 to study with Alain Knapp and at the Institut d'études théâtrales and then accepted a position as professor at the Department of Theatre.

Became artistic director of the Théâtre du Trillium in 1990 where she performed in Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf (In French) and Mademoiselle Marguerite. At the Théâtre de l'Île, she performed in Duo pour une soliste and at National Arts Centre in Mademoiselle Eléna.

Began directing in 1978 and has directed productions for the Théâtre de l'Île and the Théâtre du Trillium.

Winner of the Victor Tolgesy Arts Award in 1998; this award recognizes the accomplishments of residents who have contributed substantially to enriching cultural life in the city of Ottawa.

www.theatre.uottawa.ca

http://www.aefo.on.ca

Barbara M. Freeman

Historian, professor, author, broadcast journalist

Holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree and a Master of Arts in Canadian Studies from Carleton University; graduated with a Ph.D. in History from Concordia University in Montreal.

Began teaching at Carleton University in Ottawa in 1980 after a career in broadcast journalism.

Is an adjunct research professor and former associate professor in the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University; has a specialty in media history, and gender and diversity in journalism.

Is the author of  Beyond Bylines: Media Workers and Women’s Rights in Canada  (2011), The Satellite Sex: The Media and Women's Issues in English Canada, 1966-1971  (2001) and Kit’s Kingdom: the Journalism of Kathleen Blake Coleman (1989).

Is a founding and executive member of the Media and Communication History Committee and a member of the Canadian Committee on Women’s History.

http://carleton-ca.academia.edu/BarbaraFreeman

http://www1.carleton.ca

Merna Forster

Author, historian (with a particular interest in women's history)
Naturalist, photographer

Born in Alberta; lives in Victoria, B.C.

Wrote the books 100 Canadian Heroines and 100 More Canadian Heroines. You can visit her website at www.heroines.ca

Earned a B.A. at the University of Alberta and an M.A. in history from Laval University in Quebec City.

Worked with national parks and national historic sites across Canada in the areas of public education programs, outreach and visitor services.

Also worked in the field of Canadian Studies; while based in Ottawa she received the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Commemorative Medal and served as vice-president of the Ottawa Independent Writers.

Was awarded The Lieutenant Governor's Celebration of the Arts Pin by Dr. Lynda Haverstock, Lieutenant Governor, Province of Saskatchewan.

Currently works at the University of Victoria as Executive Director of the Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History Project, which received the 2008 Pierre Berton Award.

www.heroines.ca

http://www.dundurn.com/

Ellen Fairclough

Pioneering politician

Born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1905; died in 2004.

Was a Chartered Accountant and owner of a Hamilton accounting firm.

Elected to the Canadian House of Commons in a 1950 by-election after being defeated in the 1949 federal election.

As a Member of Parliament, she advocated women's rights including equal pay for equal work.

Appointed to the position of Secretary of State for Canada by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker in 1957.  

First woman to be a cabinet minister in Ottawa’s House of Commons; became Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in 1958, and from 1962 until her defeat in 1963, was Postmaster General.

First female Acting Prime Minister of Canada from February 19 to February 20, 1958.

Nominated Kim Campbell for the Progressive Conservative Party leadership in 1993, after which Campbell became Canada's first woman prime minister.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen Fairclough

www.canadaonline.about.com
http://www.heroines.ca/people/fairclough.html

Alexa Stirling Fraser

Amateur golf champion

Born in Atlanta, Georgie in 1897; died in Ottawa in 1977.

Youthful prodigy who won three consecutive U.S. Women's Amateurs, winning her first in 1916.

After the war, she won the 1919 and 1920 U.S. Women's Amateur titles; was also the U.S. Amateur's runner-up in 1921, 1923 and 1925.

Won the Canadian Women's Amateur in 1920, finished second in 1921 and 1925 and won the Canadian title a second time in 1934.

Married Canadian doctor W.G. Fraser in 1925, and made her home in Ottawa, Ontario, where she became an honorary member of the Royal Ottawa Golf Club; was its ladies' champion nine times.

Was also a skilled violinist.

Returned to Atlanta for the U.S. Open during the 1976 United States Bicentennial celebrations. 

Was inducted posthumously into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1978, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 1986, and the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.

Was portrayed by Stephanie Sparks in the 2004 film, Bobby Jones: A Stroke of Genius.

www.ottawacitizen.com
http://www.rcga.org

May Frith

Professor of applied linguistics, black culture historian

Born in Jamaica in 1925; died in Ottawa in 2011.

Arrived in Montreal in 1960s; moved to Ottawa in 1987.

Had a teaching career at McGill University as a professor of applied linguistics for 20 years before moving to Ottawa.

Established the Harambee Education Centre in Ottawa, a community-based program that helped young black students gain an appreciation of their culture and history. Harambee means “let’s pull together” in Swahili.

Gave local workshops to develop awareness and respect for Caribbean heritage languages, such as Creole.

Was on the original board of directors for Black History Ottawa.

www.ottawacitizen.com

Rolande Faucher Soucie

Author, consultant, visionary, advocate for French language culture, rights and services in Ontario

Lives in Ottawa.

Is a consultant in the fields of official languages, education, health, justice, professional development, serving community groups as well as provincial and federal ministries.

Played an instrumental role the development of the francophone community in Orleans, in particular, the construction of the cultural centre in Orleans, called the Centre culturel du MIFO.

Was president of the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario (ACFO) in 1988 and served the association for a number of years.

Played a key role in numerous franco-ontarian causes including the Montfort Hospital and la Fondation franco-ontarienne.

Received many prizes and accolades for her work and dedication to the development of franco-ontarian cultural resources.

Was chosen by Senator Jean-Robert Gauthier to write his biography for which she won the Prix Champlain in 2009.

http://www.expressottawa.ca/

Barbara Ferrell

Pharmacist
Named Pharmacist of the Year, 2011

Moved to Ottawa from Toronto in 1999.

25-year career as a pharmacist, working to advance the involvement of pharmacists in interdisciplinary teams in health care.

Key player in a project called IMPACT, aimed at optimizing drug therapy by integrating pharmacists into family practice and is the clinical co-ordinator for the team of pharmacists at Bruyère Continuing Care in Ottawa.

She is developing education programs, speaking at conferences and piloting online education programs.

The Canadian Pharmacists Association has recognized her as a pharmacist providing outstanding service to the profession and exemplary care to her patients. This award is given out once a year to a Canadian pharmacist who demonstrates leadership and exemplifies the evolution of the pharmacist profession toward an expanded role in health care.

The Ottawa Citizen, May 17, 2011.
www.pharmacists.ca

Gertrude Fleck

Phianthropist

Born in Ottawa in 1856.

Daughter of lumber baron J.R. Booth. Mr. Booth's lumber company won the contract to supply wood for the Parliament buildings when Ottawa was chosen as the new Capital of Canada by Queen Victoria.

Wife of Andrew Fleck, a successful Ottawa businessman in lumber who also ran mills in the Ottawa Valley.

In memory of her husband, Gertrude Fleck donated a new building on the grounds of 195 George St. to the Ottawa Day Nursery which was later renamed the Andrew Fleck Child Care Center. The Andrew Fleck Child Care Centre has since become a trailblazer in childcare services.

Mrs. Fleck was active in the Canadian Red Cross and many other local charitable and community organizations.

The Ottawa Citizen, May 7, 2011.

Celia Franca

Dancer

1921-2007; lived and worked in Ottawa.

Born in England; moved to Ottawa circa 1974.

First artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada, she was an important influence on the development of ballet in Canada.

In 1951, the National Ballet of Canada gave its first public performance under her direction. She directed the company until 1974.

First dance artist inducted into the Order of Canada in 1967.

In 1978, co-artistic director (with Merrilee Hodgins) of the School of Dance in Ottawa.

www.artsalive.ca

Lillian Freiman

Philanthropist, civic leader

Born in Mattawa, Ontario. Lived in Ottawa.

First Canadian Jewish person to receive the Order of the British Empire in 1934 for her volunteer work, especially in support of immigration and immigrants.

Wife of Archibald J. Freiman who founded Freiman's, a major department store in Ottawa, Canada.

Raised funds for Jews in Europe and Palestine, led Ottawa's efforts to battle the influenza epidemic in 1918, served as treasurer of the Ottawa Welfare Bureau, and was active in such organizations as the Ottawa Women's Canadian Club, the Institut Jeanne d'Arc for Catholic girls, and the Protestant Infants Home.

Because of her work with war veterans, she was granted honorary life membership in the Canadian Legion veterans' organization, the first woman to be so honored.

www.women.org

Joyce Fairbairn

Senator

Studied and worked in Ottawa.

Born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Received a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University (Ottawa) in 1961.

Joined the news staff of the Ottawa Journal in 1961.

In 1962, joined the bureau of United Press International in the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa; reported for many papers including the Ottawa Journal.

In 1970, became Legislative Assistant to Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and served as his senior legislative advisor for fourteen years.

Appointed to the Senate for the Province of Alberta (Lethbridge) in 1984.

Inducted into the Kainai Chieftainship of the Blood Nation and given the name Morning Bird Woman in 1990.

Appointed to the Privy Council in 1993 and was the first woman to be named Leader of the Government in the Senate.

www.parl.gc.ca

Monique Frize

Biomedical engineer, academic

"I have never had a boring day since I was born." - Monique Frize

Born in Montreal in 1942; studied at the University of Ottawa.

First woman engineering graduate at the University of Ottawa in 1966.

Known for her expertise in medical instrumentation and decision-support systems.

First holder of the Northern Telecom-NSERC Women in Engineering Chair in 1989; rose to national prominence championing the chair objectives and raising the profile of women in research.

N.B. During her chair tenure the number of women entering these fields increased by 50%.

Headed a report produced by the Canadian Committee on Women in Engineering, which became a guide for many organizations striving to achieve a better gender balance in the profession.

Became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1993.

www.nserc.gc.ca
www.collectionscanada.ca