Pauline Mills McGibbon (21 October 1910 – 14 December 2001) served as the
22nd Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The lieutenant governor of Ontario (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''de l'Ontario'') is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the , who operates distinctly within the province bu ...
from 1974 to 1980. In addition to being the first woman to occupy that position, she was also the first woman to serve as a
viceregal representative in Canadian history.
Once described as 'Ontario’s Eve' for all her 'first woman' achievements, the Honourable Pauline McGibbon dedicated her life to the betterment of her community, province and nation.
A 1976 article indicated 'She has a warm, smiling face wreathed by a grey braid, her trademark… She is almost apologetic for being ‘old-fashioned,' but, because of her upbringing, she says she rarely feels really dressed, without gloves'. Former Governor-General
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Louise Clarkson (; ; born February 10, 1939) is a Hong Kong-born Canadian journalist who served from 1999 to 2005 as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation.
Clarkson arrived in Canada with her family in 19 ...
once commented that McGibbon 'was perceptive, incisive, amusing and self-deprecating'.
Early life
Pauline Emily Mills was born 20 October 1910 in
Sarnia
Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes w ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
.
She was the only child of Alfred William and Ethel Selina Mills, her father being a textiles and goods merchant.
After George Street, and Lochiel Street Schools, and
Sarnia Collegiate, she studied at Victoria College at the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
, graduating in 1933 with a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History.
In January 1935 Pauline married football star and her childhood sweetheart Donald Walker McGibbon,
both attending the university together. Don later became vice-president and treasurer of
Imperial Oil Limited.
Career
A lifelong volunteer and supporter of the arts, McGibbon became president of the Dominion Drama Festival from 1957 to 1959.
She volunteered for years including national president of the
Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire
The Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE) is a women's charitable organization based in Canada. It provides scholarships, bursaries, book prizes, and awards, and pursues other philanthropic and educational projects in various communities ac ...
from 1963 to 1965.
She was the first woman to lead such organizations as the Canadian Conference of the Arts (1972).
McGibbon served as
chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
, and first female in those roles, of the universities of
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
(1971–1974) and
Guelph
Guelph ( ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Kitchener and west of Downtown Toronto, at the intersection of Highway 6, Highway 7 and Wel ...
(1977–1983).
Appointed by prime minister
Pierre Trudeau,
McGibbon was installed as the first female
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The lieutenant governor of Ontario (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''de l'Ontario'') is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the , who operates distinctly within the province bu ...
on 17 January 1974, and thus became the first female governor in the country. (The first female Governor in the
Commonwealth was Dame
Hilda Bynoe
Dame Hilda Louisa Bynoe, DBE (''née'' Gibbs; 18 November 1921 – 6 April 2013) was the Governor of Grenada between 1967 and 1972.
A doctor and hospital administrator, Bynoe was, so far, the only woman to have been a governor of one of the Br ...
,
Governor of Grenada
This is a list of Viceroys of Grenada from the establishment of French rule in 1649 until its independence from the United Kingdom in 1974. Following independence, the viceroy of Grenada ceased to represent the British monarch and British governm ...
1968–1974.) She held the office until 1980. A particular focus of her mandate was the arts in Ontario.
This was her first salaried employment, due to the support of her husband which had enabled her to devote much time to voluntary work. Of her annual $35 000 salary, she gave back the money other than for $200 a month which at her husband's request went into a retirement savings plan.
Additional to her benevolent work, McGibbon was an active member of the business community, and served as director on companies in Canada such as
IBM Canada Limited,
Imasco
Imasco Limited was a Canadian corporation headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1970 as Imperial and Associates, Co.
History
Imasco was the former owner of Imperial Tobacco Canada, Canada Trust, Shoppers Drug Mart , Gen ...
,
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
, and
George Weston Limited
George Weston Limited, often referred to as Weston or Weston's, is a Canadian food processing and distribution company. Founded by George Weston in 1882, the company today consists of Weston Foods, a wholly owned subsidiary, and Loblaw Compani ...
.
From 1980 McGibbon was a director of
Massey Hall
Massey Hall is a performing arts theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1894, it is known for its outstanding acoustics and was the long-time hall of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. An intimate theatre, it was originally designed to sea ...
and
Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located downtown in the city's entertainment district, it is home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and the Toronto Defiant. Opened in 1982, its circ ...
.
She also served as chairman, and their first female chair of the
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre (NAC) (french: Centre national des Arts) is a performing arts organisation in Ottawa, Ontario, along the Rideau Canal. It is based in the eponymous National Arts Centre building.
History
The NAC was one of a number of ...
in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
(1980),
and
honorary colonel of 25 (Toronto)
Service Battalion
A service battalion (Svc Bn; or ) is a unit of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) that provides combat service support to a brigade group and its elements.
It is able to fight in a defensive role as well as provide the vital logistical support to s ...
and No. 7
Cadet Corps
A corps of cadets, also called cadet corps, was originally a kind of military school for boys. Initially such schools admitted only sons of the nobility or gentry, but in time many of the schools were opened also to members of other social classes ...
of
Saint Thomas.
During her life, McGibbon was also the governor of the
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College (UCC) is an elite, all-boys, private school in Toronto, Ontario, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The college is widely described as the country's most prestigious preparatory school, and has produce ...
.
Later life
She and Don had no children.
By the end of her life, McGibbon had been the chairman, a board member, director, and/or president of at least fifteen arts associations, including the
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre (NAC) (french: Centre national des Arts) is a performing arts organisation in Ottawa, Ontario, along the Rideau Canal. It is based in the eponymous National Arts Centre building.
History
The NAC was one of a number of ...
(Ottawa), the Toronto International Festival of Dance and Music, and the du Maurier Council for the Performing Arts.
After a lengthy illness, McGibbon died in Toronto on Friday, 14 December 2001, aged 91.
She was buried in the family plot in the Lakeview Cemetery in
Sarnia
Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes w ...
, Ontario.
Legacy
Established in 1981, the Pauline McGibbon Award, a monetary $7000 (2021) award, is given each year to a member of Ontario’s professional theatre community in the early stages of the member's career who has displayed a unique talent and a potential for excellence. The
Ontario Arts Council
The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is a publicly-funded Canadian organization in the province of Ontario whose purpose is to foster the creation and production of art for the benefit of all Ontarians. Based in Toronto, OAC was founded in 1963 by O ...
manages the award.
Her name is also given to Pauline McGibbon Park, 180 North College Avenue,
Sarnia
Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes w ...
.
Awards
McGibbon is the first woman to hold the presidency of the University of Toronto Alumni Association (1952–53). In November 1956, she received a life membership in Ontario provincial chapter, to which she had given continuous service since 1940.
McGibbon was one of many people recognised by the Alumni as 1990 Arbor Award recipients for generosity and contribution to the experience of university members.
She received the medal of service of the Order of Canada in recognition of her contributions to worthy causes.
She was made a Dame of the
Order of Saint Lazarus
The Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, also known as the Leper Brothers of Jerusalem or simply as Lazarists, was a Catholic military order (monastic society), military order founded by crusaders around 1119 at a leprosy, leper hospital in Jerus ...
.
In 1957 McGibbon received the Canadian Drama Award for outstanding service to theatre in Canada.
She received the Civic Award of Merit from the City of Toronto,
and in the same year an honorary
doctor of laws
A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor ...
degree from
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
.
McGibbon was named as an Officer of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
in December 1967, for her contribution to the theatre and education, and several volunteer organizations.
After leaving Office, McGibbon was promoted to be a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1980,
and was separately appointed to the
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario () is the most prestigious official Award, honour in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the A ...
in December 1988.
In October 1975 as a lieutenant-governor, she was awarded an honorary law degree by the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
.
By March 1977, McGibbon held seven honorary degrees from Canadian universities, an Honorary Fellow of the
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (french: Collège royal des médecins et chirurgiens du Canada) is a regulatory college which acts as a national, Non-profit organization, nonprofit organization established in 1929 by a speci ...
, a Dame of Grace of the
Order of Saint John
The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...
of Jerusalem, the
Canadian Centennial Medal
The Canadian Centennial Medal (french: Médaille du centenaire du Canada) is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and was awarded to Canadians who were ...
(1967), and the Award of Merit from the
Canadian Public Relations Society
The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is a professional society for practitioners of public relations in Canada. Established at a meeting in Montreal in 1948, it subsequently amalgamated with the Public Relations Association of Ontario.
In ...
.
She had also been the first woman member of the
Royal Canadian Military Institute
The Royal Canadian Military Institute (RCMI) is a private members’ organization located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded as the Canadian Military Institute on January 14, 1890. General Sir William Dillon Otter set the founding princ ...
.
References
External links
Order of Canada CitationPauline McGibbon fonds Archives of Ontario
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGibbon, Pauline Mills
1910 births
2001 deaths
Chancellors of the University of Toronto
Chancellors of the University of Guelph
Companions of the Order of Canada
Lieutenant Governors of Ontario
Members of the Order of Ontario
Members of the United Church of Canada
People from Sarnia
University of Toronto alumni
Canadian women viceroys
Women in Ontario politics