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Marion DewarCanadian politician
Date of Birth: 31.03.1928
Country:  Canada |
Content:
- Marion Dewar: A Life of Public Service
- Political Career in Ottawa
- As Mayor of Ottawa
- Federal Politics
- Later Career
- Community Service and Legacy
Marion Dewar: A Life of Public Service
Early Life and EducationMarion Dewar was born in Montreal in 1928 and raised in Buckingham, Quebec. She graduated as a nurse from St. Joseph's School of Nursing in 1949 and worked in Ottawa and the surrounding area until 1952. In 1951, she married Ken Dewar and joined the Victorian Order of Nurses.
Political Career in Ottawa
After studying nursing and healthcare at the University of Ottawa, Dewar worked in public health from 1969 to 1971. Her political career began in 1972 when she was elected Alderman for Britannia Ward. She served as the city's Deputy Mayor from 1974 to 1978 and unsuccessfully ran for MPP in the 1977 provincial election. In 1978, she became the first female Mayor of Ottawa, holding the post until 1985.
As Mayor of Ottawa
As Mayor, Dewar advocated for the rights of homosexuals and Vietnamese refugees. She also supported the ban on nuclear weapons and opposed the war in Grenada.
Federal Politics
From 1985 to 1987, Dewar served as President of the New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP). In 1987, she was elected to the House of Commons in the riding of Hamilton-Mountain but lost her bid for re-election in 1988. In 1993, she ran unsuccessfully in the Ottawa Centre riding.
Later Career
After her time in federal politics, Dewar chaired the Ottawa-Carleton Police Board. However, she and three other members were fired by the Conservative government of Mike Harris in December 1995. Dewar and her colleague Judi Hunter successfully challenged the dismissal in court, setting a legal precedent.
Dewar continued to support the political career of her son, Paul Dewar, who was elected to Parliament in 2006. After her mother's passing, Paul Dewar ran for the leadership of the NDP in October 2011.
Community Service and Legacy
Beyond politics, Dewar was active in various community organizations, including the Ottawa Women's Credit Union and Oxfam Canada. In 2002, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.
