Fairclough, Ellen (1905–2004)
Fairclough, Ellen (1905–2004)
Canadian politician and businesswoman. Born Ellen Louks Cook in Hamilton, Ontario, Jan 28, 1905; died Nov 13, 2004, in Hamilton; dau. of Norman Ellsworth (farmer) and Nellie Bell (Louks) Cook; m. David Henry Gordon Fairclough (owner of a printing business), Jan 28, 1931; children: David Fairclough.
The 1st woman in Canada to hold a Cabinet position, opened her own accounting and tax service business (1935); served as vice president of Young Conservative Association (Ontario); elected to Hamilton city council as an alderman (1946); after an unsuccessful run for federal Parliament, elected controller for city of Hamilton (1950); for receiving more votes than any other candidate in municipal polling, automatically became deputy mayor; was elected in a by-election to fill a vacant seat in House of Commons (1950); became the "voice" of the opposition on labor matters; remained a member of the opposition party for 7 years; under John Diefenbaker, was appointed secretary of state (1957), the 1st woman Cabinet minister in Canadian history; named minister of citizenship and immigration (1958), then postmaster general (1962); defeated for reelection (1963), became vice president, director, and secretary-treasurer of Hamilton Trust and Savings Corporation, an institution she helped build from scratch.
See also Women in World History.