Laura Sabia
Encyclopedia
Laura Sabia, OC
(September 18, 1916 – October 17, 1996) was a Canadian
social activist and feminist.
Born Laura Villela in Montreal, Quebec, the daughter of Italian immigrants, she played an important part, as National Chair of the Committee for the Equality of Women, in the creation of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women
called by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson
in February 1967. She was a founding member and, from 1969 to 1973, the first President of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women
. She was an alderwoman in St. Catharines, Ontario
. She also wrote columns for The Toronto Sun.
Sabia was a two-time candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
. She finished second in the riding of St. Catharines
, Ontario, losing by less than 4,000 votes, and came in third in a 1981 by-election
in the Toronto riding of Spadina
losing by 1,005 votes.
In 1974, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
"for her devoted service to the cause of the status of women". In 1983, she was awarded the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case
.
She was married to Michael Sabia and had four children: Maureen, Colleena, Mary-Michael and Michael John
, former head of Bell Canada Enterprises.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(September 18, 1916 – October 17, 1996) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
social activist and feminist.
Born Laura Villela in Montreal, Quebec, the daughter of Italian immigrants, she played an important part, as National Chair of the Committee for the Equality of Women, in the creation of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women
Royal Commission on the Status of Women
The Royal Commission on the Status of Women was a Canadian Royal Commission that examined the status of women and recommended steps that might be taken by the federal government to ensure equal opportunities with men and women in all aspects of Canadian society. The Commission commenced on 16...
called by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
in February 1967. She was a founding member and, from 1969 to 1973, the first President of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women
National Action Committee on the Status of Women
The National Action Committee on the Status of Women is a Canadian feminist activist organization. NAC was founded in 1971 as a pressure group to lobby for the implementation of the 167 recommendations made in the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada's 1970 report on matters such as...
. She was an alderwoman in St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
. She also wrote columns for The Toronto Sun.
Sabia was a two-time candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
. She finished second in the riding of St. Catharines
St. Catharines (electoral district)
St. Catharines is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968.It consists of the part of the City of St. Catharines lying north of a line drawn from west to east along St. Paul Street West, St...
, Ontario, losing by less than 4,000 votes, and came in third in a 1981 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in the Toronto riding of Spadina
Spadina (electoral district)
Spadina was a Canadian electoral district that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1988. It covered a portion of the western-central Toronto. Its name comes from the Spadina Avenue, which runs through the heart of the riding....
losing by 1,005 votes.
In 1974, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
"for her devoted service to the cause of the status of women". In 1983, she was awarded the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case
Edwards v. Canada (Attorney General)
Edwards v. Canada [1930] A.C. 124 – also known as the Persons Case – is a famous Canadian and British constitutional case where it was first decided that women were eligible to sit in the Canadian Senate...
.
She was married to Michael Sabia and had four children: Maureen, Colleena, Mary-Michael and Michael John
Michael Sabia
Michael John Sabia, is a Canadian businessman. He is the current CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Sabia formerly served as CEO of Bell Canada from 2002 through 2008.-Personal life:...
, former head of Bell Canada Enterprises.