If you were to get a tattoo of one word, what would it be?
“Believe.”
Linda Hasenfratz
“Nobody achieves anything meaningful on their own.”
Birthplace Guelph, ON
What age do you feel 25
Occupation CEO, Linamar Corporation
Favourite drink Gin and tonic
Favourite place in Canada British Columbia
If you could have dinner with any woman, alive or dead, who would it be?
A pioneering female scientist, someone like Marie Curie, as I have had a lifelong love of science and discovery and would love to hear about their stories and experiences.
What will it take to achieve gender parity?
We are making fantastic progress in so many areas. Achieving our goals around parity will come from sharing those positive stories and inspiring others. We have twenty times the women on boards that we did twenty years ago, and momentum is building. Some of Canada’s best engineering schools today have 40 percent female enrolment. We achieve success by talking about our successes; it makes others want to get on board the train!
Tell us about a time when you had to summon all of your courage.
I was on a boat just off the coast of Croatia with my husband and our four children, when an electrical storm suddenly hit us—lightning striking around us, high waves. We only had about 500 metres to go to get to a safe harbour, and I remember being so absolutely focused on that goal that I actually didn’t feel frightened in the moment. I was counting down the metres until we would be safe. It was only after we were safely ashore that the fear of what could have happened really hit me. As leaders we need to have that same resolve, to focus on an outcome in a time of crisis. We can’t be fearful; we need to develop a plan and stay laser-focused on it. People look to their leaders in such times to draw their own confidence. It is not the time to show fear. It is the time to show confidence, focus, and determination to survive.
If you had the gift of a year off, in a paused world, what would you work on?
I believe the solution to climate change is not just about reducing the CO2 we put in the atmosphere, but about finding a way to pull it out efficiently and put it to good use. I would spend the year trying to figure that out.
What does being Canadian mean to you?
Being Canadian is very important to me. Canada is an inclusive country that has welcomed immigrants, including my parents, for centuries, and it values the unique culture that all those people bring to our country. It values education and innovation. It looks to the future and toward creating a safe, healthy, prosperous nation for our children. It is my home.
If you were to get a tattoo of one word, what would it be?
“Live.”
Jill Heinerth
“There will always be detractors. If you have raised their ire, then you must be doing something remarkable!”
Birthplace Mississauga, ON
What age do you feel An ageless 52
Occupation Aquanaut
Book you gift most The Sacred Balance by David Suzuki
Favourite drink Mulled apple cider
How has your view of feminism changed over your lifetime?
As a young public school attendee, I asked to be enrolled in “shop” class rather than “home economics.” I already knew how to sew and cook and wanted to learn about electricity, carpentry, and fixing cars. I was informed that shop class was only open to boys. I recall speaking up but soon acquiesced, thinking that I could not change the system. That may have been my first experience of gender barriers. I’ve learned to speak louder since then. I have had to find my way to excel in a very male-dominated career. If I failed to be bold, prospective employers would simply look beyond me to the next qualified man.
Much of the sexism in our society today is so ingrained that we often simply accept it without realizing that we are limiting the opportunities for half of the population. Women often accept the status quo so they are not perceived as troublemakers. The only path to change egregious behaviour is to bring it out into the light where it can be dealt with. Gentle correction can leave a lasting impact as much as loud protest can. There is a good time for each. I have found confidence and learned that some people will never change. Their voices matter less to me today.
What does being Canadian mean to you?
I still get a little teary-eyed when we sing the national anthem. I am incredibly proud to be a part of a country that strives for inclusiveness, celebrates diversity, and encourages traits like integrity, kindness, and responsibility. Wearing a red maple leaf anywhere in the world seems to ignite a smile and launch a conversation. Gifting one creates a new friendship.
Where do you feel most powerful?
I am at home in the water. There is a unique equality to the diving experience. Size, age, gender, and race slip away underwater. With the absence of gravity, we all have the ability to move with grace and elegance, unencumbered by our weight or the problems of the world above us.
If you were to write a book, what would its title be?
Funny! I am writing a book: Into the Planet (coming in fall 2018).
If you were to get a tattoo of one word, what would it be?
“Explore.”
Debra Hewson
“Canada means a place where diversity triumphs. We have built a country that promotes and protects the individual and collective identities of all Canadians.”
Birthplace Winnipeg, MB
What age do you feel The age I am, every hard-earned year of it
Occupation President and CEO, Odlum Brown Ltd.
Book you gift most To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Favourite drink Red wine
Favourite place in Canada Lake Louise, AB
Tell us about a time when you had to summon all of your courage.
They say that divorce, the death of a close family member, and moving are three of the most stressful things that can happen to a person. A few years ago, all three happened to me in one year. Everywhere I looked my life was changing. I realized that I had to take control of myself and embrace the change around me. It was, after all, my life, and I was the only one who could control my reaction to it. It was a frightening moment—a bit like stepping into an abyss—and it took all the courage I had.
Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently when you were first starting out?
When I first started my career, I believed I had to conform to a view of what a businessperson should be. Hard-nosed, detached, intellectual, and dressed in a power suit—those things would make people take what I had to say seriously. It took a while for me to realize that what would make me successful was just presenting “me” to the world—my passions, my curiosity, essentially my humanity. I realized that to try to be someone I wasn’t was a distraction. Embracing both my strengths and my weaknesses was the key.
When do you feel most powerful?
I don’t really feel powerful—what I do feel, though, is the ability to influence. I believe that the ability to affect the actions, behaviour, or opinions of others is what makes us leaders. And with that comes responsibility. How we choose to deal with these moments and opportunities will ultimately define who we are and how powerful we will become.
Will we smile at a stranger on the street, or will we look the other way? Will we step into the breach when the going gets tough, or will we leave the heavy lifting to others? Will we have the courage to voice an unpopular opinion, or will we seek comfort in the silence of the majority? Will we seize the opportunity when it presents itself, or will we let it pass us by?
If you were to get a tattoo of one word, what would it be?
“Persevere.”
Alia Hogben
“Two words that mean a great deal to me and govern my life are ‘compassion’ and ‘justice.’”
Birthplace Burma
What age do you feel Early 30s.
Occupation Executive Direc
tor, Canadian Council of Muslim Women
Favourite drink Mango lassi
Book you gift most Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
If you could have dinner with any woman, alive or dead, who would it be?
The Prophet Muhammed’s first wife, Khadija. I am fascinated with her. It is said that she was fifteen years older than he was and a remarkable support when things were really bad for him.
Tell us about a time when you had to summon all of your courage.
About four years ago, our much loved farmhouse was burnt by an arsonist, along with everything in it. We were left standing there only with what we had on. It was heartbreaking, frightening and very hard. What we have learnt from this experience is the value of kind friends, a loving family and the kindness of a community.
We were surrounded by affection and caring as everyone helped. This experience has demonstrated what I believe in—compassion and the importance of family, friends, and a caring community.
What does success mean to you?
I have a quick temper and I used to jokingly say to my husband, “If I ever have a gravestone, I would like it to say I was a loving woman.” I hope that those people whose lives I’ve touched will see me as a caring and loving woman.
What does Canada need more and less of?
We’ve got everything we need. Think of all the water we have and the surroundings. The country is so beautiful. It takes your breath away. We are extremely fortunate. However, if I were an Indigenous person, I don’t know what my answer would be.
What is your vision for Canada in twenty years?
I think it will continue on the same path. Trudeau is going to make lots of mistakes and he may not live up to our expectations, but I like the general direction that he’s taking Canada in—celebrating who we are and not forcing us into any kind of a mould like “you have to do this or you have to be that.” I have a great deal of faith in and commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. If we use those two documents as the foundation of our democracy, then we are well grounded in anything we do. If we do that twenty years from now, that’s pretty good.
Pamela Jeffery
“Success is feeling a big sense of relief that an idea you have is a good one after you have acted on it!”
Birthplace London, ON
What age do you feel 39
Occupation National Lead, Inclusion and Diversity Strategy Group, KPMG Canada
Favourite drink White Bacardi and real Coke with a slice of lime—and my husband next to me
Favourite place in Canada Muskoka, ON
What has been a defining moment in your personal or professional life?
Becoming the first female student council president of my high school, A.B. Lucas SS. A group of my friends and I put together an audio-visual presentation. I marched down the aisle in the school auditorium with “Pomp and Circumstance” blasting out of the speakers and with photographs appearing of powerful women like Margaret Thatcher, who had just been elected UK prime minister.
What does Canada need more of? Less of?
We need more entrepreneurs, especially female entrepreneurs. What I love about my new role as a partner at KPMG is the firm values the entrepreneurial spirit. We see how our entrepreneurial spirit helps drive our ability to be innovative. We need more funding of our arts organizations. Art brings beauty into our daily lives, challenges us, inspires us, and entertains us. We need more diversity in Canadian boardrooms. Business leaders need to continue to go beyond their own circles and conduct rigorous searches that seek and attract more diverse candidates.
Tell us about a time where you had to summon all of your courage.
When my younger son Sam was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis at the Hospital for Sick Children on July 5, 1994, at the age of 7 weeks. That night, two doctors and three nurses in the ER saved Sam’s life. Afterwards I was told that if he had arrived twenty minutes later, he would have died. The good news is that there are now vaccines that cover many forms of meningitis—they didn’t exist in 1994.
If you could have dinner with any woman, alive or dead, who would it be?
My mother. She died of cancer in 1988 at the age of forty-seven. I miss her every day. I would like to thank her for all that she did for me, inspiring and supporting me as I embraced feminism.
What is the best investment you’ve made?
Hands down, my two sons, Stephen and Sam.
If you were to get a tattoo of one word, what would it be?
“Gratitude.”
Christina Jennings
“[In twenty years] Canada should be the world leader on the environment, and on creating a sustainable economy and lifestyle.”
Birthplace Northallerton, in North Yorkshire, England
What age do you feel 60
Occupation A creative film and television producer, Chairman and CEO of Shaftesbury
Favourite drink Veuve Clicquot
Favourite place in Canada Toronto Islands
If you could have dinner with any woman alive or dead, who would it be?
Marilyn Monroe. Obviously the world saw her as one of the most beautiful women in the world and she was pigeon-holed. What’s really interesting to me is that she was very smart and very strong. She once said, “I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they’re right. You believe lies, so you can eventually learn to trust no one but yourself. Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”
Tell us about a time when you had to summon all of your courage.
The company was five to seven years old and we were making a really big move from making feature films to making television. I was very excited. We were adapting an interesting Canadian true crime story. Things were starting, and then out of nowhere, the financing fell apart. I had all these people hired and we were working. This had never happened to me before. I’ll never forget having to just figure it out without any time.
What advice would you give young women looking to pursue a similar career?
Don’t be in such a hurry. Be open enough for life to actually show you some things along the way that you can experience. My father used to always say, “One door closes in order for another to open.”
Do you have a go-to movie that you’ve watched hundreds of time?
It’s a Wonderful Life. It reminds me that we do leave our mark in the world and summed up a lot of things that I think about life. I’ve always liked that quote from Robert Frost: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference.” We have all these decisions—turn left or turn right.
What does success mean to you?
When young people, or parents, teachers, or politicians come up to me, wherever I go—maybe my t-shirt says Murdoch Mysteries—and they tell me, “I really love that show.”
If you were to get a tattoo of any word, what would it be?
“Love.”
Maureen Jensen
“Success to me is the ability to enjoy all the pieces of your life and make a meaningful contribution in all of them.”
Birthplace Winnipeg, MB
What age do you feel Sixty-one (my actual age!)
Occupation Chair and CEO of the Ontario Securities Commission.
Book that you gift the most Love You Forever by Robert Munsch—I give it to every mother of a newborn in my life
Favourite drink Cabernet Sauvignon
Favourite place in Canada Georgian Bay, ON
What do you think it will take to achieve gender parity?
It’s shocking that today women still are not valued the same as men. This is evident through a visible lack of women in important leadership positions, and ongoing lower pay for women in many jobs. How can it be acceptable to not consider the talents or strengths of half the population when filling leader
ship roles? I think business and government leaders of both genders need to earnestly address the issue, actively demonstrate that they value men and women equally, and consciously work to have that reflected throughout their organizations.
Tell us about a time when you had to summon all your courage.
When I was in my forties, my very independent, amazing, and intelligent mother was battling Alzheimer’s. At the time, I was travelling the world, running a publicly listed company. I wore many hats: CEO, mother, wife, and daughter. I knew I needed to be closer to home for a time, so I decided to leave the company and work on a consulting basis for a year. I became Chairman of a public company, taught as an adjunct professor at a university, and consulted. This allowed me to be with everyone I cared about while still able to explore what fed my passion in business.
What has been a defining moment in your professional life?
Very early in my career, I worked as a geologist in the mining industry. I enjoyed what I did, and had the opportunity to travel while mineral mapping. However—much to my surprise—when I decided to explore the business side of the industry, it changed everything for me: I loved it. I absolutely loved creating a vision and acting on it, managing people, and setting strategies for a business. I knew right away that I had found my passion. Knowing what I know today, I would have gone back to school and earned a law degree. This would have allowed me to get into the business side of the mining industry earlier, and discover what I truly loved doing a lot sooner.
Canada 150 Women_Conversations with Leaders, Champions, and Luminaries Page 12