These 16 Canadian women are our heroes

Tanya Tagaq

"We’re so fortunate to live in a country with no lack of inspiring women, but if I had to choose just one as my hero, I would say it’s Tanya Tagaq. I’m in constant awe of her talent, her advocacy for Indigenous issues, and her ability to shift perceptions on what it means to be Canadian. She’s a firebrand."
—Jes Watson, Editor-in-Chief

Margaret Atwood

"A Canadian literary hero who is ever relevant, outspoken and involved. And for someone with such a flair for seeing the frightening dystopian possibilities of the world, Atwood's curiosity and charm is amazingly optimistic."
—Claire Sibonney, Digital Director

Catherine O'Hara

"My Canadian hero is comedian Catherine O’Hara. I admire how clever and funny she is, and recognize her tremendous contribution to comedy writing as well as acting. Her work embodies a spirit of kindness, generosity and fun that makes me smile and go 'Wow' at the same time. I think she’s fearless!"
—Jennifer Danter, Acting Executive Food Editor

Clara Hughes

"Clara Hughes is an incredible role model, especially in terms of how to deal with my mental health. And my mom, she was absolutely amazing! As I age, I often think of her and what she was dealing with." —Sylvia Berthelet

June Callwood

"There are so many, I could spend all day figuring out which, so instead I'll just say the first one who comes to mind—June Callwood. Outspoken, fair, compassionate, trailblazer."
—Nancy Bennett

Chef Lynn Crawford

"Lynn Crawford is one of the figures who originally inspired me to start cooking professionally. Her critically acclaimed show, Pitchin’ In, delves deep into the relationship between farming and cooking and educates thousands about what it takes to produce the commodities we take for granted. She teaches about relationship-building and sharing through food. Her passion and wit are infectious and I wholeheartedly admire her for balancing humour and professionalism so skillfully. Her restaurant, Ruby Watchco, is a model for the food industry, serving up a challenging new menu each day that showcases ultra-seasonality, locality and largely reduces the waste produced by a typical restaurant.”
—Paul Lillakas, Food Editor

Claire Boucher aka Grimes

"Claire Boucher, better known by the stage name Grimes, is a Canadian musician, producer and director who’s always pushing creative boundaries. Her work and how she carries herself inspires me to be unabashed, to think outside the box and to always be creating."
—Jenny Tang, Social Media Editor

Veronica Foster

"Veronica Foster, the iconic ‘Ronnie, the Bren Gun Girl.’ She was my aunt."
—Layla Saku

Marilyn Denis

"Marilyn Denis is one of the most successful, friendliest and truly nicest people I’ve ever met and had the pleasure to work with. I’ve never met anyone with such an incredible work ethic. I mean the woman is juggling Canada’s #1 daytime lifestyle series, The Marilyn Denis Show, as well as working every weekday morning on the Roger & Marilyn radio show—she’s like the Energizer bunny! She’s smart, funny and a powerhouse in the industry that I work in, so of course she’s a woman I admire and aspire to be like."
—Julia McEwen, Fashion and Beauty Director

Roberta Bondar

"Roberta Bondar was the first woman who came to mind for me. There need to be more women in scientific fields of endeavour - so having someone to point out in that area is very important."
—Donna Maroulis

"Roberta Bondar, our first female astronaut. She is probably why I studied a science field in university."
—Debbie Wolf

Carrie Best

"There are tons of amazing Canadian women who I look up to, but one of my biggest heroes is Carrie Best, a journalist who founded the first black-owned and published newspaper in Nova Scotia, The Clarion. I'm so inspired by her tenacity, strength of character and success—especially since she was born at a time when Canada was still very segregated and her achievements were anything but a foregone conclusion." —Stacy Lee Kong, Senior Editor

Hayley Wickenheiser

"Hayley Wickenheiser! An icon of dedication, commitment, and true sportsmanship."
—Melissa Howard

Hazel McCallion

"The longest-serving and first female mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, left quite an impression on me when I was growing up in the city. Affectionately known as 'Hurricane Hazel,' she proved that as a woman you could choose a high-profile career, work hard at a job you love, and have a full and active life. When she dropped in to surprise my grandmother at her 90th birthday party, it was icing on the cake for my Nonna and me. My grandmother was a big fan, and because the two ladies were a few months apart in age, she felt a strong connection to the mayor. After the visit, McCallion—90-something at the time and with a jam-packed agenda that evening—was off to a few more events and of course, a skate at the hockey arena."
—Grace Toby, Contributing Editor

Laura Secord

"Laura Secord. I live so close to her history location. Such bravery."
—Joe-Tanya Johnson

"Lucy Maude Montgomery, Nellie McClung and Laura Secord to name a few."
—Tara Richey

Zunera Ishaq

"My Canadian hero is Zunera Ishaq, the woman who fought in the Federal Court of Appeals in 2015 for her right to wear a niqab during her citizenship ceremony. In her own words, she said: 'While I recognize that [the niqab is] not for everyone, it is for me. To me, the most important Canadian value is the freedom to be the person of my own choosing. To me, that’s more indicative of what it means to be Canadian than what I wear.'"
—Alanna Lipson, Food Editor

The Famous Five

Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy and Irene Parlby were petitioners in the Persons Case (Edwards v. A.G. of Canada), which granted women the right to be appointed to the Senate and was a huge moment in the struggle for equal rights.

"I admire Susannah Moody and Catherine Parr Trail, The Famous Five, Laura Secord, L.M. Montgomery, Pauline Johnson, Marilyn Bell and my female ancestors who worked so hard in settling in forests with nothing to make their work easy; just the odd settler in 1830 in Ontario. These women and all of the others who were early settlers were the real heroes!"
—Dorothy Patridge