Previously published in Examiner
The Early Years of Jeanne Sauve: First Female Governor General of Canada
Sauve was the pioneer for women in the political area. She voiced her opinion loud and clear on air. She became the Canadian woman’s role model. Sauve was bold and challenged the conservative thought of the day. She had her own TV show called “Opinions” and she tackled such controversial topics as teenage sex, discipline and parental authority.
Her television fame also created problems for her husband Maurice who was now a crown minister. It was called scandalous by Louis-Joseph Pigeon, a fellow Progressive Conservative MP and reported in the Globe and Mail.
Career in Politics
Jeanne Sauve was approached by the Liberal Party to run as the Candidate for Ahunstic riding in Montreal during the 1972 Federal election. Jeanne Sauve stated, “I felt uneasy for the first time in my life when I was campaigning… I must say I had qualms about it myself.” This arena was new to her and despite her inexperience she won the seat in the riding. She was one of the five female MP’s in Pierre Trudeau’s cabinet that term in office. Sauve was sworn into the Queen’s Privy Council. She was also appointed Minister of State for Science and Technology. This was great recognition for a first time member of Parliament and a woman at that. This status afforded her the first female from Quebec to become a minister of the Crown and the only woman Cabinet minister. Two years later Sauve ran for the seat in Ahunstic and won. This time she was given the environment portfolio. Later her portfolio would be changed to communications in 1975.
Sauve won the riding of Laval-Des-Rapides in 1979, but since the Liberals lost the election to the Progressive Conservatives, Sauve naturally lost her cabinet position. Trudeau was back in power in 1980 and he reappointed Sauve to Cabinet position. This time she was assigned Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada
At first Jeanne did not want to accept this position since it was a non-partisan position. The separation of Quebec issue was strong and she wanted to campaign for the “no to separation” campaign in Montreal. Trudeau convinced her to take the position and she would be granted the privilege to campaign for the no side at the federalist level.
Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Sauv%C3%A9