International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the role and importance of Women.
This year 105.9 and 401Gold.ca are proud to salute Canadian women from all walks of life who have or are making a difference.
International Women’s Day
Yvonne Madelaine Brill was an inventor and a Canadian American rocket and jet propulsion engineer. She is responsible for inventing the Electrothermal Hydrazine Thruster, a fuel-efficient rocket thruster that keeps today’s satellites in orbit. In fact, she owned the patent on it. During her career she was involved in a broad range of national space programs including NASA. Yvonne Brill, a great Canadian women who reached for the stars and found a way for all of us to get there.
Happy Women’s Day.
Tara Bosch turned a passion into a successful business. While in her junior year at the University of British Columbia, Tara started selling her own candy creations to vendors she contacted via email. She developed a candy recipe with much less sugar than conventional confectionaries without compromising on taste.
Anyone with a sweet tooth who also wants to remain health-conscious can enjoy a guilt-free treat from Tara’s company, SmartSweets. Annual sales are upwards of $50 million so she found the gap in the market. Thank you Tara Bosch for making life sweeter.
Happy Women’s Day.
Susannah Oland began brewing beer in a shed behind her home in Nova Scotia to support her family financially. The popularity of her October Brown Ale attracted investors, who helped the family establish Turtle Grove Brewery in 1867. While her husband was listed as the manager on paper, it was Susannah who oversaw the company’s day-to-day operations. Rebranded and known as Moosehead Breweries Limited today, it is the oldest family-owned brewing company in Canada. Cheers Susannah.
Happy Women’s Day.
While not a household name, almost every young mother owes a debt of gratitude to this great Canadian woman. Olivia Poole invented a device that allowed her baby to be safely secured and entertained while she went about her normal routine. Poole’s invention allowed for a baby’s legs to dangle and for a baby to bounce. It became universally known as the Jolly Jumper. By the early 1950s, the Jolly Jumper was being mass produced. Poole applied for a patent in1956 and she became one of the first Indigenous women in Canada to patent an invention. On behalf of mothers everywhere Thank You Olivia.
Happy Women’s Day.
Jean Lumb opened her first business at age 17. In 1959, Lumb and her husband opened Kwong Chow Chop Suey House in Toronto’s Chinatown. Quickly renown, the restaurant was frequented by prime ministers, politicians and celebrities. Through food demonstrations on television and radio appearances, Lumb introduced Chinese cooking to many Canadians. Lumb used her fame to advocate for the repeal of legislation that discriminated against Chinese immigrants and spearheaded the movement to save Toronto’s Chinatown. In 1976, Lumb was invested as a
Member of the Order of Canada, the first Chinese Canadian woman and first restaurateur to receive the honour. Thank you, Jean Lumb.
Happy Women’s Day.
While working as a receptionist at Toronto Barber and Beauty Supply, Beverly Mascoll noticed a gap in the Canadian beauty industry, a need for products for women of colour. She founded Mascoll Beauty Supply in 1970 with just $700 and began selling differentiated beauty products out of the trunk of her car. Johnson Products from the US took notice and Beverly became the sole distributor of their products in Canada. Her business developed the market for beauty products among women of colour in Canada, providing access and opportunities for diverse cultures in the beauty industry. You deserve your Order of Canada Beverly.
Happy Women’s Day.
Summer Fresh salads and dips can be found in your grocery store. Since 1991, Susan Niczowski has been leading the company, which sells healthy-based mixed salads and dips. Niczowski started it all from her mother’s kitchen playing around with old family recipes for traditional Macedonian dips and sauces like hummus and baba ghanouj. It was a leap of faith, as these types of foods, while popular today, were not that common 30 years ago. On behalf of people looking for healthy alternatives, Thank you Susan.
Happy Women’s Day.
Paulette has a steadfast commitment to justice and equality, and her work to improve the lives of women, girls, and non-binary people affected by poverty, violence and marginalization is
advancing programs and publicly funded support. In 1991, The Canadian Women’s Foundation was founded by visionary women to put Canada on a fast track toward equity. Their goal? To build a new and better future. Go to Canadian Women dot org for more information. Thank you for being a warrior Paulette.
Happy Women’s Day.
