Companion of the Order of Canada
Awarded on: 2002-05-01
Invested on: 2003-02-21
A passionate champion for the rights of women, she has helped to shape public opinion on a host of important social issues. Whether advocating for progressive divorce laws, for freedom of reproductive choice, or for enshrining the equality of men and women in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, she remains a brave and tenacious leader whose impact on Canadians will be felt for generations. A gifted communicator and generous mentor to young Canadian writers, she is a recognized author in her own right, penning several critically acclaimed works. This is a promotion within the Order.