| Flora Isabel MacDonald was born on June 3rd, 1926 in | | | | her tenure, the Canadian Embassy in Iran sheltered |
| North Sydney, Nova Scotia. She is a sixth generation | | | | six American diplomats who escaped when Iranian |
| Canadian whose forebears came to Canada from the | | | | militants occupied the U.S. Embassy. |
| Scottish Highlands in the 1790s. | | | | MacDonald also served as Minister of Employment |
| A trailblazer for women in politics, a humanitarian, and | | | | and Immigration, and then as Minister of |
| a champion of human rights, known for her courage, | | | | Communications under Prime Minister Mulroney. |
| sensitivity, and good sense, Flora MacDonald made | | | | HUMANITARIAN |
| history by becoming Canada's first female foreign | | | | Since leaving politics in 1989, Flora has been deeply |
| minister. | | | | involved in a range of human rights and environmental |
| At the 1976 PC leadership convention, she became | | | | activities around the globe. She served as president |
| the first woman to mount a serious campaign for the | | | | of the World Federalist Movement - Canada, and has |
| leadership of one of Canada's two major governing | | | | traveled the world on behalf of charities such as |
| parties. | | | | Oxfam Canada, Care Canada and Doctors Without |
| MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT | | | | Borders. She is currently working in Afghanistan and |
| Flora MacDonald worked in administration for the | | | | India. |
| Progressive Conservative Party for several years | | | | In 1992, she was named chairperson of Canada's |
| and then in 1972 was elected Member of Parliament | | | | International Development Research Center's board |
| for Kingston and the Islands. Flora MacDonald held | | | | of governors, following in the footsteps of Lester |
| this post for 16 years. She also served as a Cabinet | | | | Pearson, the centre's first chairperson. The IDRC is a |
| Minister, and in 1979 she became the first woman to | | | | government-funded agency that supports the |
| be appointed Secretary of State for External Affairs. | | | | research priorities of developing countries. |
| Flora ran for the leadership of her party in 1976 but | | | | MacDonald has done some of her most rewarding |
| did not win, despite her many talents and abilities. Her | | | | work with the not-for-profit organization Future |
| loss was simply the result of sexism. Although | | | | Generations. During her 10 years at the helm, she has |
| delegates liked her as a candidate they could not | | | | traveled to some of the world's most remote, |
| bring themselves to vote for a woman! MacDonald | | | | high-altitude villages to see the work the charity is |
| dropped off the ballot, and encouraged her | | | | sponsoring. MacDonald, now 84, has trekked, boated |
| supporters to vote for Joe Clark, who became the | | | | and flown thousands of kilometers in Tibet, India, |
| eventual winner. | | | | Afghanistan and Peru. |
| When Joe Clark was elected Prime Minister of | | | | At an age when most people have retired this |
| Canada in 1979, he made MacDonald the Secretary | | | | remarkable Canadian has traveled to the foothills of |
| of State for External Affairs; the first female in | | | | the eastern Himalayas by Zodiac along the fabled |
| Canadian history to hold this portfolio, and one of the | | | | Brahmaptura River, slept on the ground without a |
| first female foreign ministers anywhere in the world. | | | | tent with nothing between her and the area's wild |
| Flora MacDonald was instrumental in Canada's decision | | | | tigers and mountain bears but a coil of barbed wire, |
| to accept 50,000 refugees from Vietnam, the | | | | and handed out diplomas to the graduating class of |
| so-called "boat people". In November 1979, during | | | | at the foot of Mount Everest! |