Judy LaMarsh
Julia Verlyn LaMarsh (December 20, 1924 – October 27, 1980) was a Canadian politician, lawyer, author and broadcaster. In 1963, she was only the second woman ever to serve as a federal
Cabinet minister. Under Prime Minister
Lester Pearson's minority governments of the middle and late 1960s, she helped push through the legislation that created the
Canada Pension Plan and
Medicare. As
Secretary of State, she was in charge of Canada's Centennial celebrations in 1967. After leaving politics in 1968, she wrote three books, and had her own radio show on
CBC Radio. She was stricken with
pancreatic cancer in 1979 and was given the Order of Canada at her hospital bed. She died a few days short of the 20th anniversary of her first political election victory, in 1980.
Provided by Wikipedia