Lisa Gleva joined the University of St Michael’s College as Executive Director of Advancement in December 2021. When not at work, Lisa is often found volunteering, including serving on the board of The Friends of Killarney Park. The provincial park is one of her favourite places to hike and reflect.
Celebrating the Women of St. Michael’s
The Women Are Persons! monument commemorates the Persons Case in the late 1920s and honours the five women involved. Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Louise McKinney—the “Famous Five”—blazed trails and shattered barriers by insisting that women be recognized as persons constitutionally.
I am grateful for the impact the Famous Five had on the status of women, and I am grateful to the leaders responsible for having the monument created. Installed on Parliament Hill in 2000, it has been temporarily relocated closer to the building housing the Senate during the rehabilitation of the Parliament buildings.
Policy at the time dictated that only royalty and prime ministers could be honoured on Parliament Hill. The monument could only be installed on Parliament Hill with unanimous consent in the House of Commons.
You may think that getting unanimous consent for something as important as this monument, which reminds us of the achievements and contributions of Canadian women in the building of Canada, would be easy. A cinch. No debate.
It wasn’t.
The bill was introduced by the Hon. Jean Augustine, a Liberal MP, five times before it passed. It passed thanks to the passion, perseverance, and leadership of many women… and a little luck when the dissenting MP left the House early for the airport.
Lately, I have been reflecting on the influence role models have had on my life. My life today is what it is because of those who came before me. Historic figures and current leaders. Those I admired from afar, those I learned from up close. One powerful woman particularly comes to mind—her passion for helping others and her commitment to supporting women to thrive, personally and professionally, lit a fire within me.
I don’t think we necessarily realize the impact that we have on others. I’ve heard from alumnae about the transformational impact they experienced at St. Mike’s amongst the Sisters of the congregations of St. Joseph and Loretto. I’ve been going down the LinkedIn rabbit hole to discover more about who our alumnae are. I see leaders in business, finance, science, and academia. I see women moving the needle on human rights, running cities, and leading environmental policy development. I also see a prevalence of volunteerism and service.
I wonder who lit their fires. I wonder whose fires they are lighting. International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. This March 8th, I am celebrating the amazing women of the St. Mike’s community.
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