In 100 Canadian Heroines and its sequel 100 More Canadian Heroines, author Merna Forster introduces us to a cast of formidable Canadian women, many of whom most of us have never heard of. In honour of International Women’s Day, test your knowledge of the women who helped shape our lives here in Canada, and redefine gender roles for the whole world.

Match each woman with the accomplishment that best describes her. The answers can be found below. (source: 100 More Canadian Heroines)

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a. She sang, she danced, she made jokes. And became one of the most beloved comediennes.

b. She was an original, presenting new images of women to Canadian art: “powerful, confident, even heroic figures.”

c. A renowned astronomer and astrophysicist, she paved the way for women to study sciences at university.

d. Her relentless crusade for equal rights for Aboriginal women improved thousands of lives.

e. She dazzled audiences in the world’s major opera houses. Then returned home to make Montreal a city of great opera.

f. Her defiance of segregation galvanized the black community, inspiring others to fight racial discrimination in Canada.

g. She was a radical feminist who became a powerful voice for women’s suffrage. And created the wilderness retreat that would become Bon Echo Park.

h. She challenged oppression and prejudice throughout her life, changing the face of Canada by shattering colour and gender barriers.

i. Unable to swim, she plunged into Lake Erie to save the crew of the schooner Conductor.

j. The first woman in Quebec to earn her living as a journalist, she battled for women’s rights despite being publicly insulted by both sexes for her radical ideas.

k. A crusader for birth control rights in Canada, she devoted her life to women’s health.

l. She became one of the richest and most powerful self-made women in the world. A multimillionaire who revolutionized the cosmetics industry, she landed on the cover of Time magazine as the queen of horse racing.

m. She didn’t create modern dance. But her artistry, imagination, and musicality helped usher in a dance revolution.

o. She revolutionized the education system for women, setting the stage for universities to open their doors to them for the first time.

ANSWERS

a = 11, b = 7, c = 4, d = 12, e = 9, f = 1, g = 10, h = 3, i = 2, j = 6, k = 8, l =  5, m = 13, o = 14