December 20, 1924 - Judy LaMarsh - a podcast by Stephen Hammond

Canadian lawyer, politician and broadcaster Judy LaMarsh is born in Chatham, Ontario. Judy Verlyn LaMarsh was born on December 20, 1924 in Chatham, Ontario and was brought up in Niagara Falls. Between 1943 and 1946 she joined the Canadian Women’s Army Corp and travelled from Halifax to Vancouver, obtaining the rank of sergeant. After the war LaMarsh earned her law degree from Osgoode Hall and joined her father’s law firm in Niagara Falls conducting criminal law. She won a seat in the House of Commons as a Liberal during a by-election in 1960 and when Lester Pearson became prime minister in 1963, LaMarsh became the second woman and the first Liberal woman to hold a federal cabinet post. As minister of National Health and Welfare, she began drafting Canada’s cherished Medicare system and the Canada Pension Plan came into being. Between 1965 and 1968 she became secretary of state during Canada’s centennial celebrations, and she established the Royal Commission on the Status of Women. In 1968, during the leadership convention to replace Pearson, LaMarsh made one of Canada’s most famous political faux pas. When it was clear her candidate Paul Hellyer would not win, she tried to stop Pierre Trudeau from getting the top job. Unbeknownst to her, with CBC cameras rolling and microphones on, all of Canada heard her say, "Paul, you've got to go to Winters. Don't let that bastard win it, Paul - he isn't even a Liberal.” Trudeau won the leadership and became prime minister, and LaMarsh retired from politics. She wrote her autobiography Memoirs of a Bird in a Gilded Cage and worked as a broadcaster. In 1980 she became an Officer of the Order of Canada. On October 27, 1980 LaMarsh died at age 55.

---

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Further episodes of Human Rights a Day

Further podcasts by Stephen Hammond

Website of Stephen Hammond