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Celebrating Women’s Health and Policy: The Women’s History Project Honours Monique Bégin’s Legacy
The Women’s History Project is launching a new annual lecture to celebrate the legacy and accomplishments of former Minister of Health and women’s policy pioneer, Monique Bégin.
The lecture will take place on October 30 at the University of Ottawa’s Lees Campus, with keynote speaker Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s former Public Health Officer.
The Women’s History Project is a national non-profit organization that amplifies the voices and stories of women in Canada. The project works with educators and Canadian women to make women’s history accessible to the public.
This October, to celebrate Women’s History Month, The Women’s History Project will present the inaugural Monique Bégin lecture in partnership with the University of Ottawa.
The Honourable Monique Bégin was a recognized voice in fighting for universal healthcare and a distinguished career woman. Bégin served as the Executive Director of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women, Minister of Health and Welfare, and Dean of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa.
Bégin also fulfilled the role of Canada’s Commissioner on the World Health Organization’s 2005 study on the social determinants of health.
The lecture will remember Bégin’s contributions to advancing public service, equality, and health issues.
For the Women’s History Project’s President, Debra Davis, this lecture is a creative catapult for sparking change.
“Through this lecture, we want to remember her contributions – and as part of her legacy – aim to inspire young people to join us in celebrating her life and career and create change in their own communities,” she says.
For this first year of the lecture, the project will be featuring Dr. Theresa Tam as a keynote speaker. Dr. Theresa Tam is another trailblazing woman in the Canadian health sector who has confronted some of the most significant public health challenges in recent years.
The former Chancellor of the University of Ottawa, Dr. Huguette Labelle, will also be present to deliver introductory remarks. Dr. Labelle is a distinguished Canadian civil servant and academic leader, with notable contributions to public service and international development.
Tickets to the lecture and VIP reception can be purchased on Eventbrite, with VIP Reception at $150 per person and the lecture at $30 per person. The lecture is free of charge for all students.
Davis says the annual lecture aims to bring together audiences of all ages, including university students, to reflect on past accomplishments and issues that may shape the future.
“Each year, this lecture will explore a different element of women’s equality and Canadian history. The Report on the Royal Commission on the Status of Women highlights countless subjects that we could continue to explore for years to come,” she says.
These subjects involve human rights, employment, immigration, education, Indigenous women’s rights, and cultural representation.
The Monique Bégin Lecture will be the first of many in the project’s new lecture series, but it marks the beginning of a new chapter for teaching women’s history.
“Launching it (the lecture) during Women’s History Month makes it especially meaningful, as we celebrate women’s contributions and continue the conversation on equality and progress in Canada,” Davis says.
