November 14, 2004

“It is with both sadness and a sense of history that I learned of the death of the Right Honourable Ellen Fairclough. Appointed to cabinet in 1957 as Canada's first female cabinet minister, Ms. Fairclough was a pioneer who advanced the role of women in public life and was a role model for countless others. Ms. Fairclough served the people of Canada in the Diefenbaker government as Secretary of State of Canada, Immigration Minister and later as postmaster general. In Opposition, before being a part of government, Ms. Fairclough was a forceful and compelling voice demanding equal pay for women. Clearly she was a woman who had a lasting and positive impact on public life and made our nation a better place. On behalf of the government and all Canadians, I extend sympathies to her family.”