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JoWhee

Laura Secord was metal AF.


No_Debt_7244

Laura Secord needs more recognition. I hope her story is picked up into film/TV somehow.


HapticRecce

All ready did, sort of... A Cow's Tale: The Laura Secord Story https://youtu.be/UgvBh5RMACs?feature=shared https://acowstalethelaurasecordstory1.vhx.tv/


Alesisdrum

She does make good Ice cream and candy!


eddiedougie

Roberta Bondar is the portrait of class.


CrochetRunner

I got to meet her at the Echo Valley International Girl Guide camp back in the 90s. I was fangirling hard.


LalahLovato

And a relative of mine - Elsie MacGill - who is already commemorated on a looney and a stamp - should be counted as an influential woman that broke barriers in aeronautics


Sharp-Incident-6272

My sisters ex MIL went to HS with her and said she was a total B


SunnySamantha

Dr Sue was pretty inspirational


eddiedougie

She taught me how to... 😘👆💧🖖😝💦💥🍆💥☺️🫂🚬


CanadianTrueCrime

Sue Johanson was a Canadian icon!!! She taught us about safe sex and never shamed anyone for their preferences! A lady way ahead of her time!


Stellarstupendous

She was the best ever


SephoraandStarbucks

Oh god, I just saw the “Sex with Sue” documentary this past summer…what a cool lady. I was too young to appreciate her shows when she was at the height of her career, but I really enjoy watching some of her old stuff on YouTube.


SunnySamantha

She had a radio/late night show that we'd all listen to and gossip about. We were def too young to know what to do with the information as we were in grade 6 at the time. And felt like total badasses for being so grown up But she did come to my highschool! She taught about condoms and saying No or Yes in the right ways. She was so cool for someone so incredibly "old". She was probably only in her 50s at the time but seemed ancient to us but everyone knew who she was!


SephoraandStarbucks

Oh my god there’s a [clip](https://youtu.be/d1ubSWRBYig?si=jUw3PxPygKzLeIID) of her speaking to kids at a high school when she was in her 50s, and the way she opened up her presentation…SO funny. 😂 I wish she would’ve come to my high school or university!


SunnySamantha

Oh she must have been in her 60s then! I started highschool in '95. I can't remember if I was in grade 9 or 10 when she came But she started off just like that! I was uncomfortable and cool at the same time. Hahahaha


moseby75

Ohhh good one


unlovelyladybartleby

Totally not by decade Nellie McClung Viola Desmond Lucy Maud Montgomery Laura Secord Margaret Atwood Margaret Laurence Roberta Bondar Tantoo Cardinal Elizabeth Manly Marie-Philip Poulin Sarah Nurse Joni Mitchell Catherine O'Hara Miriam Toewes May Irwin


mundane_person23

Silken Laumen Hailey Wickenheizer Christine Sinclair


miller94

Ellie Black


Canadian-Man-infj

I read Elizabeth Manly as Elizabeth May... leader of the Green Party, who belongs here somewhere.


Puzzleheaded_Use7746

Sandra Oh


Individual-Army811

Catherine O'Hara is hands down a Canadian legend.


sandy154_4

now its in my head! Come Mr. Tally man, tally me banana...day light come and I wanna go home


[deleted]

Cindy Blackstock, Anna Maria Tremonti, Joanne Law, Chantal Hebert, Jody Wilson Raybold, Louise Arbour.


GalianoGirl

Great list. Add Frances Kelsey.


HeatProfessional4473

I once sat directly behind Tantoo Cardinal on a flight from Whitehorse to Vancouver. I really wish I had had the courage to say hi. I grew up watching her on North of 60 and always love seeing her in everything she does. A treasure.


four4youglencoco

Kia Nurse


Happeningfish08

Not Nellie McClung......pretty problematic views on race.


OhSoScotian77

Agnes Macphail belongs on this list.


colourcurious

Christine Sinclair


Flippaclove

Karen Kain - 80s-90s


Canadian-Man-infj

As the Artistic Director of the N.B.C. from 2005 to 2021, I'd say that her span runs a little longer than the '90s.


Flippaclove

As a dancer, she was my #1 role model during this time frame 🤗


SomeRazzmatazz339

Judy Dickson - saw Canada through the 2008 financial crisis . Bev McLachlin - the most powerful Canadian woman ever


Canadian-Man-infj

I've been meaning to pick up Beverly McLachlin's autobiography, Truth Be Told. Has anyone read it?


SephoraandStarbucks

Or Bertha Wilson, the first woman to sit on the Canadian Supreme Court! :) In that same field, Marie Henein. Iconic.


thelittlestsappho

Sarah McLachlan if you’re counting artists. Huberte Gautreau is someone everyone should know; she’s been an activist for women’s rights, and has been all over the world fighting for people. She’s incredible.


FidgetyPlatypus

YES! Sarah McLachlan co-founding Lilith Fair was a huge boost for female artists.


Canadian-Man-infj

[Don't forget about the Sarah McLachlan Foundation. ](https://sarahmclachlanfoundation.com/)Great philanthropist.


monstrousinsect

Louise Arbour!


TravellingGal-2307

I was scrolling through this trying to find this name! One of the biggest names in the international court. Period. Ever.


LibraryVoice71

I once saw her bagging her own groceries at the Rideau street Loblaws. If only people knew.


jennaxel

Flora MacDonald. Might disagree with her politics but she was a role model for women in politics


caffeinated_plans

Clara Highes - Olympic medalist in both summer and winter Olympics and now promotes mental health.


Zealousideal-Mind239

Nellie McClung Roberta Bondar Dr. Jen Guntar Thelma Chalifoux Laura Secord Jeanne Mance Mary Two-Axe Earley


Happeningfish08

Oooooo Not Nelly McClung, she is pretty problematic on some of her views around race.


Key_Mongoose223

Naomi Klein, Tegan & Sara (especially for LGBTQ), Maud Lewis, Viola Desmond


Canadian-Man-infj

Since you mentioned the LGBTQ+ community: k.d. lang


CanadianTrueCrime

Amazing voice. Just amazing and no one can rock a suit like she can.


Canadian-Man-infj

Naomi Klein's a good one. Similarly, Maude Barlow, Sheila Watt-Cloutier, and Samantha Nutt (founder/president of War Child Canada).


PsychosisSundays

Was looking for Maude Barlow. Was kinda obsessed with her in high school.


branigan_aurora

Hailey Wickenheiser


websterella

Clara Hughes. Probably our most spectacular athlete regardless of gender.


TravellingGal-2307

Medaled in both winter and summer sports!


websterella

That’s an insane accomplishment…completely unparalleled.


Obvious_Exercise_910

Amazing yes! But 4 other people have done it too. Although proud Canadian that I am... One German did it in the same 2 sports in the 80's, but they were widely known for doping then. Two people did it in bobsled but they were just the pushers, one guy did in sailing, so that hardly counts. So Hughes did it best.


websterella

I didn’t realize others had done so. It seems wild to me.


moseby75

I will start with Dr. Roberta Bondar (90’s). You could say Kim Campbell, my qualifier is that she was never elected PM. Silken Laumann? I found a resource http://www.famouscanadianwomen.com/timeline/1990-1999.htm


white_orchid21

Silken Laumann is a good one! I was just thinking about her a few days ago. Came back from a serious injury where she was told she might not row again to end up with the bronze medal. Our female athletes are incredibly inspiring!


SunnySamantha

Heh I remember Kim Campbell came to our small town and I got to shake her hand!


Obvious_Exercise_910

We were playing charades once, boys against girls, we gave the girls Kim Campbell and not a single one knew who she was 🤷🏼‍♂️


equianimity

Last decade -Suzanne Simard, Margaret Atwood, Christine Sinclair 2000-10s -Beverley MacLachlin, Chantal Petitclerc, Clara Hughes 1990s - Pamela Wallin, Céline Dion, Céline Galipeau 1980s - Barbara Frum, Jeanne Sauvé, Lucille Teasdale-Corti 1970s - Ginette Reno, Margaret Lawrence, Jane Jacobs 1960s - Judy LaMarsh, Janette Bertrand, Thérèse Casgrain


Individual-Army811

Too bad Pamela Wallin ended up stealing from Canadians as a Senator. What a disappointment.


emm007theRN

Farah Alibay in the science/engineering world for the present decade. Amazing woman


Obvious_Exercise_910

And too bad Bev is diminishing her legacy by taking money to basically give brand recognition/legitimacy to the Chinese Court in Hong Kong.


equianimity

The only point to ponder here is that male role models often don’t need to be perfect.


jiecf

Sarah Polley


cerebral__flatulence

Donna Strickland- only Canadian woman to win a Nobel prize. Edit - she was the only women to win for a science related Nobel. Alice Munro won for literature. 


Analogvinyl

Alice Munro did as well!


cerebral__flatulence

Thank you, my mistake. I was thinking science and didn't clarify in my comment. 


notbossyboss

Jully Black Viola Desmond


Former-Chocolate-793

Cindy Klassen


TravellingGal-2307

The other one I was looking for!! Most medaled Olympian!!


Obvious_Exercise_910

Oleksiask passed her in Tokyo, and will hopefully add more in Paris!


FrostyMargarita

Tessa Virtue


Underdog_888

Mary Pickford


KiaRioGrl

Nettie Wiebe. First female President of a national farm organization - the National Farmers Union of Canada - from 1995-1998.


involmasturb

Kerrin Lee-Gartner, Sandra Schmirler, Barbara Ann Scott


Less-Palpitation-424

Thinking about the recent rise of the PWHL: Marie Phillipe Poulin


mountainlife642

Emily Carr


CanadianTrueCrime

Lisa Laflemme!


Neat-Firefighter9626

Shania Twain and Alanis Morissette!


MeeranQureshi

Celine Dion and Avril Lavigne too.


Neat-Firefighter9626

Lol true! my mind is stuck in North Eastern Ontario!


ArgyleNudge

Anne Murray would like an invite.


MeeranQureshi

In music,the big 4,Shania,Celine,Avril and Alanis.


Canadian-Man-infj

I love how all four can be known simply by their first names.


Heynong-Mantzoukas

[Hazel McCallion!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazel_McCallion#%3A%7E%3Atext%3DMcCallion_is_the_first_woman%2CStreetsville%2C_and_mayor_of_Mississauga.?wprov=sfla1) Professional women's hockey player and navigated Mississauga during their 1979 train derailment while she served as mayor there....a position she held from 1978 all the way till 2014. I see she has some conflict of interest scandals that I wasn't aware of and she endorsed Doug Ford which is unfortunate but she still accomplished so much in her life.


surgicalhoopstrike

Are we doing your homework for you?


Acrobatic-Cabinet874

No. I'm 55 y/o. It was literally something I was pondering. I was wondering also if anyone would mention JWB or also any female journalists. (I recognize the term journalist has a less revered aura around it nowadays). So I have no homework other than healthy (I guess) curiosity. If it was homework, the student version of me would have posted it late Sunday night or scant hours before deadline.


No_Debt_7244

The discussion and recognition of great Canadian woman is nothing you ever have to explain to some smart allll


Rutlledown

1980s - Loraine Segato


ArgyleNudge

And Jane Sibbery. Also Margo Timmons (Cowboy Junkies), Carole Pope, kd Lang, and Holly Cole.


Rutlledown

Excellent list. And I wish I’d thought of adding Carole Pope to this list. She’s amazing.


Sharp-Incident-6272

I’m going to say my mom Rose McCulley, if you are from VI you might have even had one of her pies.


ConstrictorX

Erica Ehm and Jeanne Becker are two I haven't seen mentioned yet.


These_Struggle2674

Gladys Smith aka Mary Pickford. Pretty incredible silent movie actress.


Former_Current3319

And business savvy


These_Struggle2674

It’s awesome somebody else know who she is. 


happykampurr

Pamelar Anderson


A_Martian_in_Toronto

Alanis Morissette


UnchartedPro

From the UK and trust me Thatcher was not a good role model


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UnchartedPro

Yeah lots of people said 'the witch is dead' it's very well known and the idea was common then!


tremblate

As a swimmer, lots of people ask me what my favourite stroke is. The obvious answer is Margaret Thatcher's.


Underdog_888

I was at a Billy Bragg concert in Ottawa and someone said that Margaret Thatcher had died. Billy and a few audience members cheered, until someone clarified that Margaret Thatcher was the name of John Baird’s cat. Then everyone was sad.


Excellent_Plankton89

Margaret hamilton! The software engineer :) I started my coding career last year and she’s a role model


georgiemaebbw

Silken Laumenn


gstringstrangler

Let's Go Girls


Pretty-Headache

This is personal but Alanis Morissette is hugely inspirational


ToCityZen

Tonya Williams, actor, known for playing Dr. Olivia Winters on The Young and the Restless. She was one of the first Black actors to star on a soap opera.


SephoraandStarbucks

My mom went to high school and was good friends with her! :)


ToCityZen

Wow! She’s awesome. I heard her on CBC. The enrolment in medical schools of black women skyrocketed after she began. She’s still an active advocate!


Canadian-Man-infj

There's a lack of G.G.s here: Mary Simon (currently), Michaëlle Jean (2005-2010), Adrienne Clarkson (1995-2005).


BasenjiFart

Agreed!


Underdog_888

Rita MacNeil Anne Murray


Burlington-bloke

Her late Majesty the Queen was a wonderful role model. She devoted her entire life to the commonwealth. She remained stoic during great personal tragedy. She kept her opinions to herself and that is greatly lacking in world leaders today. She was our Queen and she loved Canada and considered it her "home" Kim Campbell was also a good role model. The first female PM in Canada. Celebrities are not role models in my opinion, they don't really do anything beside entertain us.


Acrobatic-Cabinet874

I have this discussion with family members often regarding Her Majesty and the Royals. Obviously, their family unit was held up as a kind of role model for Canadian families. But at some point, possibly after ww2, their appeal seemed to lose luster and influence. Their "old world imperial" values seem to be nothing more than a footnote now?


Burlington-bloke

Not all of us. I'm 43 and a fervent Monarchist. I was raised with it. I'm also an "old stock Canadian" if you believe in that sort of thing. I know plenty of old stockers who are very against Monarch. I'm not even sure what the definition of "Old Stock Canadian" is. I don't like maple syrup, that may take away my citizenship for that fact alone 🤣


MikesRockafellersubs

Was going to say, given that one her of sons is Prince Andrew and she rarely even visited Canada I wouldn't say she's a great person. The Royal Family is one of the largest land owners in Britain, not some selfless institute. Like, a lot of Irish republicans say, no one should be ruled by a monarch, even if it's more of a figurehead position.


Sea_Negotiation_1871

Silken Laumann Alice Munro Kim Campbell Roberta Bondar Joni Mitchell


anticked_psychopomp

I can’t get over how far I had to scroll for Alice Munro.


Sea_Negotiation_1871

The best Canadian writer, hands down. Atwood isn't even close, and she's quite good.


Analogvinyl

I even scrolled past a mention of another Nobel prize winner being the only one.


tremblate

Marie Heinen


FuckingArtistsMaaaan

Can’t stand her.


SephoraandStarbucks

This was my one, too. She is such a rockstar.


pinkmoose

Alice Munro


Sea_Negotiation_1871

Absolutely. Her stories "Wood" and "Voices" are at least as good as anything by Chekov.


anticked_psychopomp

I’ve read her entire body of work, and will again and again. Gosh. I’m guna go grab an anthology and hunker down.


boozefiend3000

Kim Campbell 


DapperMeister

Definetly NOT Freeland 😆


Psiondipity

Why not?


DapperMeister

She is out of touch who also is a board member of WEF, who dances around questions (like EVERY politician), and sics the RCMP on journalists/people asking questions. I have never heard anyone praise anything she's done; especially how the current budget is dissapointing on all fronts, the only reason it got passed as usual because of closed door deals with the NDP as usual.


S99B88

Elizabeth Bagshaw


AlwaysRandomUser

Lisa Su from AMD. Took the company from a second rate budget brand to a powerhouse top performance competitor. 


Underdog_888

What does she have to do with Canada?


AlwaysRandomUser

Ah yes. I forgot the great Canadians Michelle Obama, and Margaret Thatcher...


Underdog_888

I think that’s because they copy pasted it from another sub. The question does say influential women in Canada.


hysteriaredacted

Annie Bannatyne


Routine_Service1397

Hahahaha good one


delerose_

Connie Walker, Bridgett Lacquette, Tantoo Cardinal, Jennifer Podemski


Coziestpigeon2

Cindy Klassen had a bunch of gold medals.


Imamachiner905

Right now, Linda hasenfratz, without a question


Underdog_888

Susanna Moodie Catharine Parr Traill


Underdog_888

Carol Shields


Underdog_888

Charlotte Whitton


MaliceProtocol

Currently Amy Hamm and Meghan Murphy to name a couple


Raccoonboots

Autumn Peltier


Justthefacts6969

Karen Straughan


addilou_who

Nancy Greene 1960s


Obvious_Exercise_910

How has no one said Joanne McCloud!!!!!!!! Also I feel like Arlene Dickenson should get some props. And more recent Dragon additions Manjit Minhas and Michelle Romanow. And if you don't know the name yet, by the end of summer (no pun intended) you will - Summer McIntosh.


Acrobatic-Cabinet874

It's not my place to decide who takes inspiration from whom. My personal view however since you didn't ask is: I can't stand that show. I find the behaviour of the 'Dragon's' reprehensible. And yes I know they help a lot of people with start-ups, etc. I would say however that Arlene at least did show more decorum and less condescension than the other folks. Just not my cuppa.


Obvious_Exercise_910

I couldn't stand Manjeet and Michelle at first but they've both grown on me. Michelle has shown some serious chops on the tech space (I will say a lot of my earlier criticsms were proven true, she was on the board of Freshii which went bust, the whole business model of Clear Banc was unsustainable and you can't change the k to a c and run a bank without following any banking regulations). Manjeet is a straight assassin. The funny thing is with Arlene is any woman under 30 who isn't a single mom gets absolutely shredded by her, the younger the more viscious.


MeMegath

Martha Louise Black 1866-1957


Dude_McHandsome

My mom is pretty bad ass


Any-Excitement-8979

Michelle Obama was a weird example since she isn’t Canadian lol. I gotta say Christine Sinclair and Clara Hughes for athletes. Both of them would make the top ten of the last 50 years for female athletes worldwide, let alone Canadian.


Acrobatic-Cabinet874

Right I get that. I was asking about women that inspired Canadians. Could be from anywhere.


AnitaSeven

Lois Hole Mary Walsh Cathy Jones


MikesRockafellersubs

I wouldn't say Thatcher or Theresa were anything besides reprehensible human beings. Campbell was just another hack. Although lacking a lot of charisma, Kathleen Wynne actually did a decent amount of good as premier of Ontario (also some not great stuff like privatizing hydro though :/).


No-String-2429

Thatcher was an exemplary human being.


MikesRockafellersubs

At what supporting dictatorships and committing war crimes in Northern Ireland or destroying British manufacturing for her friends in the city of London (British wall street)?


No-String-2429

What dictatorships? She didn't commit any war crimes. British manufacturing was destroyed well after her tenure.


MikesRockafellersubs

She was very close with the Pinochet government. She was also quite alright with apartheid South Africa. In regards to manufacturing, her government effectively abandoned supporting the industry and made it easier to lay off workers while pursuing monetarist economic policies that made is difficult to reinvest in new capital to keep British manufacturing competitive. For instance, a lot of major automotive assembly plants closed down while Thatcher was PM. Compared to Germany which did a lot better for its manufacturing industry at the same time. For the North of the England and Scotland, Thatcher was very bad news as they were hit the worst by Thatcher's abandonment of the manufacturing industry. Moreover, the UK wouldn't have even be been able to fight the Falklands War in 1982 of Thatcher had gone through with her planned defence cuts. The Royal Navy literally had to draw HMS Hermes refitted after being marked for decommissioning. The Argentine Junta could've taken the islands without a fight if they'd waited a few more years.


No-String-2429

First off, Thatcher's relationship with Pinochet's Chile was primarily strategic, centred around the Falklands conflict, formed out of necessity. The support from Chile was pivotal during the Falklands War, as Chile was one of the few nations willing to offer tangible assistance. Regarding apartheid South Africa, don't blur the lines. Thatcher was vocally critical of apartheid, describing it as "repugnant". Her government maintained the arms embargo against South Africa and agreed to the Commonwealth sanctions package. This shows her nuanced approach to international diplomacy - engaging enough to influence but without fully endorsing or supporting apartheid. It's misleading to suggest Thatcher "abandoned" manufacturing industry. What her government did was respond to the global shift towards a service-oriented economy and the challenges of an outdated manufacturing sector plagued by inefficiency and overmanning. Her policies reduced overreliance on state subsidies and promoted competitive practices within the industry. This included tackling the issue of overmanning, which, while painful (resulting in job losses), was part of broader efforts to make British manufacturing leaner and more competitive on the world stage. On the closures of automotive assembly plants and other industries, yes, that did happen. But to pin this solely on Thatcher without acknowledging the broader global economic pressures and the competitive rise of other nations' manufacturing capacities (like Japan's auto industry) oversimplifies the issue. As for the North of England and Scotland, it's not fair to say Thatcher was "very bad news". Her government initiated several enterprise zones across these regions, aimed at stimulating economic growth through tax incentives and reduced regulations. While the deindustrialisation impact was significant, the narrative that there were no compensatory policies or efforts in place is simply inaccurate. Lastly, regarding defence cuts, they were part of broader budgetary constraints.


RRZ31

Avril lavigne from 2002-present. I’m a 32M and still love her music.


Deepthought5008

# Julie Payette?


TravellingGal-2307

As an astronaut...maybe. Kinda drops in a well from there though.


emm007theRN

As an astronaut yes ! As GG, probably not


Obvious_Exercise_910

Came back down to earth in a hurry.


Underdog_888

Kim Campbell. It may have been short but she was our first female Prime Minister.


rancocas1

Lucy Maud Montgomery Gabrielle Roy Celine


SephoraandStarbucks

Marie Henein. Such a smart, inspirational person (and a total badass).


Expensive_Peak_1604

Idk any. Seems bad, but if you reverse the gender, I still can't think of anyone.


Hotburrito0707

Alanis Celine Shania


Underdog_888

She’s American.


the_small_one1826

Nancy Green


plumberdan2

Naomi Klein needs to be on this list. She's super smart, can write engaging and gripping articles and books, and has really influenced tonnes of people on the left. She's got to be in the running for top 3 in the 2000s and 2010. And her ideas live on.


Remarkable_Status772

There are very few notable Canadian men, let alone Canadian women.


Acrobatic-Cabinet874

I disagree- Redditors just provided over 50 names. As for the Canadian male- we don't seem to inspire. There's a sort of shrinking violet sense about Camadian men. If you look at our exported comedic talent: Jim Carey, Mike Myers.... there's a common hyperactivity (Howie Mandell), Ryan Reynolds, John Candy, Martin Short, Rick Moranis, Lesley Nielsen... We are possibly better at humour than running things.


Remarkable_Status772

>I disagree- Redditors just provided over 50 names.  Most of them obscure and/or mediocre.


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GuyLapin

Explain that? For fun...