Canada 150 Women_Conversations with Leaders, Champions, and Luminaries

by Paulina Cameron

  What will it take to achieve gender parity?

  At the time of this interview, I am visiting Iceland. (I am one-quarter Icelandic.) While far from perfect, Iceland comes as close as any country to achieving fairness for all genders. What did it take to transform Iceland? First, consciousness-raising, protests, and demonstrations in the 1970s and ’80s. Second, the establishment of an all-female political party—the Women’s Alliance—in the ’90s. Then robust parental leave legislation in 2000 and the creation of plentiful and affordable child care. Most recently, Iceland’s parliament has before it a bill that will require public and private businesses of a certain size to demonstrate that they offer equal pay to employees—the first such requirement in the world. These measures seem sensible to me if we are to approach gender parity.

  What has become more important and less important to you in the last few years?

  I started yoga at age forty-nine—I am now fifty-seven—and the practice of yoga has become a key part of my day. I love both the physical aspects of it—the flexibility, balance, and strength—and the nurturing community I have found there. I feel in important ways “mothered” at yoga. On the other hand, being right has become less important to me over time. I don’t strive as much as formerly to win every argument or to ensure that my point of view prevails. Most matters are complicated. Aside from points of principle, many issues are nuanced, and often goals can be achieved using means other than one’s own.

  Tell us about a time when you had to summon all of your courage.

  I lost a job when I had a young family and a mortgage on a house that was worth less than my husband and I had paid for it. We needed my income at a time when I was worried about money and about my own capabilities, as well as longing to spend more time with my young children. It was a period of anxiety and doubt. I had to set myself firmly to the task of achieving financial and family security, acknowledging that this would leave less time for myself, my husband, my children, and my friendships. I thought then that this was doable for a few years, that I would find balance later. This is exactly what happened.

  If you were to write a book, what would its title be?

  I’m currently writing a book called The Lesser Winds.

  If you were to get a tattoo of one word, what would it be?

  “Imagine.”

  Jennifer Gillivan

  “Canada has a foundation of values that gives us a true North Star to navigate through difficult times and triumph when we come together at our best.”

  Birthplace Winnipeg, MB

  Occupation President and CEO, IWK Foundation

  Book you give most Dying to Be Me by Anita Moorjani

  Favourite drink Gin martini

  Favourite place in Canada Halifax

  If you could have dinner with any woman, alive or dead, who would it be?

  Grace O’Malley, a.k.a Granuaile: Ireland’s Pirate Queen. Hers is a remarkable story of survival, courage, and fulfillment by the land and sea, in a time of profound political upheaval and male chauvinistic bias. Granuaile was a fearless leader, political pragmatist and tactician, rebel, pirate, and matriarch. She commanded an army of men, captained a ship, and negotiated with Queen Elizabeth I.

  Tell us about a time when you had to summon all of your courage.

  I immigrated to Canada in 1982. That in itself takes a huge amount of courage, as you leave behind all of your family, friends, and what you are most used to in life. Nine months later, my dad, at age forty-nine, dropped dead from a heart attack in Dublin while reading a letter from me. My husband, Joe, and I scraped up enough to make the trip home for my dad’s funeral. I stayed a month in Ireland and then I had the gut-wrenching experience of saying goodbye all over again. We had started a new life in Canada and I felt I had to give it a try. With tears streaming down my face, I boarded the plane. As hard as the decision was, it was the right one for me.

  What message would you put on a billboard, and where?

  “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights”—everywhere, especially in workplaces, schools, and public offices.

  What does being Canadian mean to you?

  Canada is both a young country at 150 years and an ancient country, especially when you look at the history of Indigenous peoples. Each province has a unique set of qualities so it is almost like visiting mini-countries inside a big nation. Canada is a beautiful idea, a set of values of politeness and kindness wrapped in a maple leaf flag that openly embraces many cultures. Does Canada have it all figured out? No, but while Canada still needs to continue to work on past wrongs, especially with Indigenous peoples, I will support, volunteer, and fight for that idea.

  What does Canada need more and less of?

  We need to promote ourselves. I love how polite Canada is, but there are times when that politeness doesn’t serve us well.

  Chan Hon Goh

  “I feel most powerful in the studio or on stage, where I put forth my visions.”

  Birthplace Beijing, People’s Republic of China

  What age do you feel At least 10 years younger

  Occupation Director, Goh Ballet Academy and Youth Company Canada

  Book you gift most The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

  Favourite drink Champagne

  Favourite place in Canada The Seawall in Vancouver

  If you could have dinner with any woman, alive or dead, who would it be?

  Marie Taglioni. She also had her father as her teacher and fundamentally changed ballet forever. She was the first to dance en pointe and revolutionized ballet with her graceful dancing, introducing the spirituality of Romantic poetry and literature to the dance world.

  How has your view of feminism changed over your lifetime?

  I used to think it was only about fighting for women’s rights, but I understand it now to be so much more. There are so many other levels of discrimination that are hidden and accepted/tolerated that it is important to identify them publicly and bring them to the surface.

  Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently when you were first starting out?

  I would have paid a lot more attention to the things and actions taking shape or happening around me instead of just to me. I could have learned and absorbed a lot more. But I still believe in a certain level of innocence and naivety when approaching anything. This brings purity of intention, but it’s hard to see the agenda.

  What message would you put on a billboard, and where?

  The billboard would say, “I’MPOSSIBLE!” I would put it in any airport.

  What does Canada need more and less of?

  Canada needs more performing arts and artists. After a career on stages across Canada and around the world, one of my missions is to bring the arts to more Canadians. It is also a teaching philosophy we abide by at the Goh Ballet Academy and it fuels our students’ passions for creativity and self-expression.

  What are Canada’s best traits?

  Canada’s strength as a nation comes from its diverse foundation. Like so many people who have established their own roots here, I am so fortunate to be able to raise my son in an inclusive place that values individualism and creativity. Canada’s best traits are reflective of its best people—warm and welcoming, innovative and true.

  What has become more important and less important to you in the last few years?

  More important: Everything! Life, love, accomplishments, time, family, health, friends, relationships, work, play. Less important: Nothing, but there is a time and place for priorities.

  What gives you courage?

  My courage comes from love and a strong belief that “good conquers evil.”

  If you were to get a tattoo of one word, what would it be?

  “Love.”

  Kathy Gregory

  “Throughout my career, I never noticed that I was the only woman in the room. I never thought in those terms. I think it served me well.”

  Birthplace Regina, SK, but I grew up in Toronto

  What age
do you feel Forty-something

  Occupation President and CEO of Paradigm Quest Inc.

  Book you e most The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly

  Favourite drink White wine from Sancerre, France

  Favourite place in Canada Toronto and Vancouver

  How has your view of feminism changed over your lifetime? What do you think it will take to achieve gender parity?

  When I was a young career person working for a big bank, we didn’t talk about feminism or even think about it. You just do a amazing job, work harder and smarter than everyone and you move forward and frankly just had to suck it up.

  My view of feminism has changed dramatically over the years in that it’s a big deal for me now. I have daughters and they had gender issues and I thought, “My god. Now even this next generation?” We have not figured out our roles as men and women. Twenty years ago, a much smaller percentage of women worked full-time than they do today, yet generally, we still carry the burden of the domestic responsibilities. This isn’t going to work for couples and their families.

  You said that you implemented gender reviews and policies. Can you tell us more about that?

  We do a pay equity review every single year and we make sure that people in similar roles and backgrounds are all compensated the same, regardless of gender, race, etc. On my senior leadership team, I’ve always had the goal that it must be 50:50. I get a lot of pushback on that and people saying, “Your goal is to promote more women. Isn’t that unfair to men?” I say, “You would only have that narrow view if you didn’t think there were as many qualified women out there.”

  Tell us about a time when you had to summon all your courage.

  When I worked for the bank as an executive. I was forty-one when I was fired, I was getting divorced, and I had just bought a house for me and my three kids. My father had just died and he was my big mentor. I had this business model in the back of my mind and I wanted to do it, but I had no security. I realized that I wouldn’t be able to accept the regret if I didn’t do it and follow my dream. I decided to do it and given everything that was going on at the time, I thought that was pretty courageous, my family and friends had a different view, insane is how they looked at it.

  What do you see as the future in your industry?

  I’m in the mortgage business and the Department of Finance and the Government of Canada have introduced so many new regulatory rules that are unprecedented—never in the history of this country has the government had this kind of influence over a market. Some of it is well-intentioned, to slow housing price increases, however, they are not experts in this industry and there are going to be unacceptable and unintended consequences such as eroding value in people’s homes and making it much more difficult for first time home buyers to enter the housing market.

  What does being Canadian mean to you?

  Being a patriot is really important to me; I make a big deal of Canada Day at home and in our work environment I’m a flag carrier. We need to be better at being patriots and express a deeper love for this country. My future vision for Canada is mixed at the moment. I worry about the country not supporting more innovation and entrepreneurs. I worry a bit that the government’s influence is really going to stifle entrepreneurs.

  What does work-life balance mean to you?

  We just have to stop being so hard on ourselves. We have to say, “I’m not a perfect mom or a perfect whatever.” Of course we’re not, because it’s a journey not a destination. What I learned over the years was to get very organized and to create a better work life balance., For example, what I did years ago was establish Mondays and Wednesdays as the days I spent with my children. It became a routine so my colleagues and associates always knew that on those days they never scheduled a client dinner or meeting. My children always knew that Mom would be home on Mondays and Wednesday for sure. It set the expectations for my kids and it helped me get better organized. Now that my kids are grown, I look back and know that what was most important to them was that I spent time with them and that was all that mattered. I also think it’s important to emphasize that as much as I work hard, I play hard. It is essential to make time to enjoy life and time with friends. I recognize the importance of recouping and being reenergized. I’ve always made time for that.

  Mary Jo Haddad

  “Canada’s geography is vast and breathtaking, our people are kind and welcoming, and there are endless possibilities for success.”

  Birthplace Windsor, ON

  What age do you feel 61 years young!

  Occupation Board director and healthcare/leadership advisor

  Book you gift most The Intangibles of Leadership by Richard Davis

  Favourite drink Champagne

  Favourite place in Canada Where my family is! Oakville and Windsor

  If you could have dinner with any woman, alive or dead, who would it be?

  I would invite Elizabeth McMaster, the founder of Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), my home away from home for over thirty years. She was truly a trailblazer, on the fringes of high society, who organized a ladies’ committee to visit sick children in their homes. This led to her managing a new hospital that would treat children whose families were unable to pay for medical care. I would thank her for inspiring me to be the best that I could be as I stood on her shoulders as president and CEO.

  What does Canada need more and less of?

  Canada needs to be bold in celebrating our tall poppies! Our humility has cost us and it’s time to stand up and celebrate our successes. When we have global leaders in business, science, innovation, and medicine, we need to acknowledge their accomplishments, champion their successes, and invest in excellence! And when we don’t measure up in areas like the environment, mental health, and children’s health and safety, we need to acknowledge our failures and focus our policies and investments, moving quickly to improve our outcomes. We need to learn from our past while being bold and courageous. Canada needs to leverage the diversity of our people, national pride, generosity, and humanity to build a hopeful and prosperous future.

  What is the best investment you’ve made?

  My children, who have benefited from strong values and a happy home, and our investment of love, time, and patience in their unique skills and interests. My greatest joy as a parent has been sharing their life experiences, their travels, their love of sports (especially hockey), their diverse friendships, their pursuit of higher education, and their sojourns in the work world.

  What will it take to achieve gender parity?

  We must collectively accept diverse perspectives and embrace fairness and equity in our actions, behaviours, and policies as employers, leaders, politicians, and parents. It is only when we educate ourselves, use our voices, and step in when injustices are experienced by ourselves or others that we will reach a balanced perspective on gender. There has been great progress in my lifetime, but sadly, the discussion and challenges continue.

  Evelyn Hart

  “Success is realizing an ideal. You have an idea, an ideal, and you work toward it. It has to do with what makes your soul sing.”

  Birthplace Toronto, ON

  What age do you feel 20

  Occupation Dance teacher and coach

  Book you gift most Kingfisher Days by Susan Coyne

  Favourite drink Sparkling water

  Favourite place in Canada Any stage

  Tell us about a time when you had to summon all of your courage.

  I was slandered nationwide and it was extremely difficult to come into that kind of barrage of criticism. What I learned from it was that I had to find a way to stand singularly by myself, with very little support from anybody, really. I had to find a way to hold on to my sense of self. That took a huge amount of courage. It made me understand that saying, “To thine own self be true.” I forced myself to recognize that the outside world can’t really touch you if you know who you are on the inside. What you have to hold on to is that you know your own intent
regardless of what other people want to put on top of you. If your own intent comes from a place of truth, then you will survive no matter what.

  Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when you were first starting out?

  I wouldn’t have changed a thing because I went into it headlong, wholeheartedly. I worked my butt off and I dreamed big. If you’re going to succeed, you have to have no fear of committing yourself 100 percent. People feel like they’re standing on the edge of a pool and dipping their baby toe in, fearful that they’re going to fail. I feel like saying, “Jump in and if you can’t swim, someone will save you.” You’re not going to drown because there are always people around who will save you. Or you will learn how to swim. The worst that can happen is that you have someone save you and say, “Boy, that was stupid!” And you meet new people. Somehow some other connection will happen. You might as well make a splash!

  What message would you put up on a billboard, and where?

  It would be everywhere and say, “LOOK UP.”

  What is your vision for Canada in twenty years?

  I hope that we will grow in the sense of our responsibility to each other. We as a collective will start to recognize that it is the strength of the nation that makes us great.