A pioneer for women

When Flora MacDonald was first elected to the House of Commons in 1972, she was the sole female member of the Progressive Conservative caucus. There were only two other women in the chamber.

The last time Canadians voted, in 2011, they elected a record 76 women to the Commons, fully a quarter of the house.

MacDonald, who died on Sunday at the age of 89, played a key part in clearing the way for such a remarkable change in little more than a generation. She didn’t let anything get in her way – rising from secretary to a Conservative party official to become the first woman to serve as Canada’s foreign affairs minister. Along the way she staged a serious bid for the Tory leadership in 1976, demonstrating that she put no limit on her ambition.

MacDonald was a member of an almost-extinct tribe – the Red Tory, or Conservative with a social conscience. Along with others like Joe Clark, she championed progressive policies, setting an example for women (and men) from all parties.

Her political heyday was long past, but Canadian women determined to make a mark in public life can thank Flora MacDonald for marking the way to the top.