I’m honoured to stand in this House before you all today to truly highlight a heroic woman, a pioneer, a trailblazer, and as the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, I know first-hand the importance of ensuring women’s voices are heard and reflected in this House in Ontario.

Today, there are many, many great women in this House, but before us there was Margaret Birch. Margaret Birch was best known as Ontario’s first female cabinet minister, a pioneer of our history in this province. In September 1972, then-Premier Bill Davis, Mr. Brampton, appointed her to cabinet as Minister without Portfolio responsible for youth. At that very moment, Premier Davis did more than just change cabinet; he helped change history. Minister Birch would later be promoted and serve nearly a full decade as Ontario’s Provincial Secretary for Social Development. Not only does she have this distinct honour, but also the honour of being the first female member of Toronto’s Albany Club, whose membership was limited to men, as we just heard, but that happened until Ms. Birch, as I like to say, kicked down that door.

Margaret Birch did these things at a time when being a woman in politics was infinitely more difficult than it is now. She had taken care of her family since she was 12. Her work ethic and strong commitment to her family took her through an amazing career path: working the tobacco fields of southwestern Ontario to placing the stickers on Heinz ketchup bottles.

She would later get married and move to Scarborough, where she volunteered for the local hospital. She worked her way up to becoming the chair of the Scarborough board of health. In 1963, she was named to the steering committee which built the Scarborough Centenary Hospital and she was a charter member of the hospital’s board of governors.

She would also get deeply involved in both the Scarborough social planning council and mental health council of Scarborough, the latter of which she was instrumental in creating and served as its first chairperson. As I said at the start of this address, this woman has accomplished a lot of firsts.

In 1970, she was chosen as Scarborough’s Rotary Club Citizen of the Year. The Rotary Club is well respected across the world—what an honour. But her entrance to politics was far from assured. She chose one of the most closely contested ridings in Scarborough East. But having Birch as the candidate made all the difference as she captured the seat with 41% of the vote.

Often described by political opponents as “nice,” her love, her dedication and care for her community was evident to all at the Legislature. I’ve been told that she was kind, she respected everyone and worked across the floor. Liberal leader Robert Nixon described her then as a competent and gracious person. NDP leader Stephen Lewis would add that she should be “one of the most capable Tory MPPs of either sex” and she “should be absolutely first-rate” in her job.

She was a beloved daughter of the late Wallace and Mary Stewart of Leamington and wife to the late Guy Birch. She is survived by her wonderful children, Randy and Jane.

Margaret passed away in October of 2020 at the young age of 99, but not before she was able to be here at 95 and listen to many pay tribute to her accomplishments here in this House.

I know, Randy and Jane, you are here today with friends and family. To both of you I say, thank you for sharing your mother. Thank you for sharing her with this great province, with her community. As a mother myself, of five children, I know it is hard to balance politics and motherhood, but she did it with grace. I can only imagine, though, how much harder it would have been in 1972.

I have said many times on this floor that women belong in all places, in all spaces and at every single sector and every table. Over 40 years ago, a woman paved the way for my seat and many other women’s seats in this House. Her name was Margaret Birch, and we’ll never forget her.

Applause.