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Every year on March 8, millions of men and women around the world celebrate International
Women's Day. On this day we reflect on the progress made to advance
women's equality, to assess the challenges facing women in today's society, and
to look at ways to create more opportunities.
This year's theme in Canada, Beyond Laws: The Right to be Me,
recognizes 2006 as the 25th anniversary of Canada's ratification of
the most comprehensive international treaty on women's rights: The United
Nations Convention of the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against
Women. The convention guarantees women and men equal rights, opportunities and
responsibilities in all aspects of Canadian life.
Transport Canada is pleased to highlight some of the many extraordinary women
who have helped shape the aviation industry in Canada.
Rosella
Bjornson (1947-) — In 1973 Transair made her the first woman
pilot in Canada to be hired by an airline. In 1990 she became the first female
Captain with Canadian Airlines. Her pregnancy in 1979 created another precedent
in Canada. In 1984, she began discussions with Transport Canada that led to the
regulations being changed to allow a pilot who is pregnant to fly while under
her doctor's supervision.
Deanna
Brasseur (1953-) — She was one of the first three Canadian women
in the military to earn her "wings". Brasseur holds the distinction of
being one of the first two female CF-18 fighter pilots in the world. Later,
Major Brasseur became Canada's first female aircraft accident investigator. When
Major Brasseur retired in 1994 she had flown about 2,500 hours in jet airplanes.
Elizabeth
(Elsie) MacGill (1905-1980) — Elsie MacGill was the first woman
to graduate from the University of Toronto with an electrical engineering degree
in 1927. She worked in aeronautical design, and was responsible for WWII
production of the famous Hawker Hurricane. She became the first female aircraft
designer in the world. She also helped draft the international airworthiness
regulations for the design of commercial aircraft.
Molly
Reilly (1922-1980) — She was one of the first
recruits in the Women's Division of the Royal Canadian Air force in 1941 and she
worked in photography so she could get to fly. As soon as the war was over,
Molly took flying lessons and then worked as a flying instructor. In 1959 she
became the first woman in Canada to be a Captain with a charter airline. She
also became the first woman to be a corporate pilot in Canada.
Eileen
Vollick (1908-1968) — On March 13, 1928, at the
age of 19, she was the first Canadian woman to receive her private pilot's
licence. Her instructor had one reservation about teaching her to fly – she
was only 5'1" and had to use pillows to see out of the cockpit of the
bi-plane. Her legacy demonstrated to women that aviation was not only a
"man's sport".
These women and others demonstrate that the sky is no longer the limit for
women in Canada.
Learn more about women in aviation by visiting the following sites:
High Flyers:
Canadian Women in Aviation
Celebrating Women's
Achievements
Canadian Aviation Hall of
Fame
For more information on International Women's Day please
visit the Status of
Women Canada site.
Check out our collection of transportation-related
articles.
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