CALGARY,
AB, Aug. 1, 2023 /CNW/ - The Royal
Canadian Mint is issuing a new $1
commemorative circulation coin honouring Elsie MacGill, an exceptional Canadian who broke
barriers as an engineer and leading advocate of women's rights.
Responsible for many firsts as a woman studying and practicing
engineering, she was celebrated for setting up the Canadian
production of the Hawker Hurricane fighter plane during the Second
World War. Her lifelong advocacy for women's rights included her
appointment to the Royal Commission on the Status of Women, in
1967. This special coin recognizing the tremendous legacy of
Elsie MacGill begins circulating today.
"Through her dedication and an unshakeable belief that there was
nothing women could not do, Elsie
MacGill broke the glass ceiling for Canadian women pursuing
careers in engineering, and made historic contributions to
Canada's efforts during the Second
World War," said The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Finance. "I am so pleased that this
commemorative coin will honour the legacy of a remarkable champion
of women's rights, and will share her story with a new generation
of Canadians."
"Inspiring Canadians through stories of exceptional achievement
is one of the most important functions of commemorative circulation
coins," said Marie Lemay, P. Eng.,
ing., President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "What
Elsie MacGill achieved as a trail
blazing aeronautical engineer, and as a champion of women's rights,
made a difference in her lifetime and continues to influence us
today. Hers is a story that needs to be shown and celebrated on a
circulation coin that will be shared by millions of Canadians of
all ages."
The artwork appearing on the reverse of the 2023 $1 circulation coin celebrating Elsie MacGill is the creation of Tofino, British Columbia artist Claire Watson. It features Elsie MacGill holding a pair of rolled-up
blueprints. Flying above her is the Maple Leaf Trainer II that she
designed and beside her appears one of the over 1,450 Canadian-made
Hawker Hurricane fighter planes that she helped produce for the
Allied war effort in the Second World War, as Chief Engineer of
Canadian Car and Foundry in Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder
Bay). She was known as the "Queen of the Hurricanes" for
that unique wartime contribution. Her name, "Elsie MacGill",
is engraved beneath the fighter plane. The obverse of this coin
features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth
II by Susanna Blunt.
Elsie MacGill is widely credited
as: the first woman in Canada to
graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering
(University of Toronto, 1927); the
first woman in North America to
graduate with a Master's degree in Aeronautical Engineering
(University of Michigan, 1929); the
first woman in Canada to become
a practising engineer (1938); as well as the first North
American woman, and possibly the world, to design an aircraft that
was produced under her direction through to prototype (the Maple
Leaf II trainer). Although her education and career were
interrupted in 1929 by a form of polio that affected her mobility
for the rest of her life, she persevered and excelled in
aeronautics.
In fact, in 1938, she accepted a post as Chief Engineer at the
Canadian Car and Foundry plant in Fort William (Thunder Bay), Ontario. Her tenure there lasted until 1943,
encompassing the first years of the Second World War. During her
that time, she played a key role in re-tooling the factory for the
production of over 1,450 Hawker Hurricanes, and spearheaded
improvements for cold-weather performance by designing specific
adaptations such as ski landing gear and de-icing capabilities.
"Apart from all of her other notable achievements, she was a
wonderful grandmother. I spent nearly every Sunday evening during
my high school years with Elsie and my grandfather, Bill Soulsby," said grandson Rohan Soulsby. "There was never any shortage of
interesting conversation around the dinner table as we discussed
current events in Canada and
around the world on topics ranging from politics to women's rights
to aviation, music and the arts. On top of all that, she also made
an awesome peach pie!"
After the war, she continued her career in aeronautics, aiding
in the development of international civil aviation safety
standards. She also increasingly focused on her passionate work as
a critical and influential advocate for women's rights and
professional equality. She presided over the Canadian Federation of
Business and Professional Women's Clubs from 1962-64 and was
appointed a Commissioner on the Royal Commission on the Status of
Women in 1967.
"Elsie MacGill always looked to
the horizon in her engineering and feminist endeavours and sought
to move beyond it, said Elsie
MacGill biographer Dr. Crystal
Sissons. "She was not deterred by setbacks, and she knew the
value of teamwork and harnessing the support and cooperation of her
colleagues in both fields to effect the changes she desired. She
believed Canadians could work together to soar beyond social and
technical limitations."
Limited to a mintage of three million coins, of which two
million will be coloured, this new $1
circulation coin begins circulating on August 1, 2023. It will reach Canadians through
their change as bank branches and businesses replenish their
inventories of $1 coins.
The coloured and uncoloured circulation coin are also available
as collectibles in a six-piece Collector Keepsake coin set. They
are packaged in a richly illustrated collector card that contains
uncirculated versions of classic 2023-dated circulation coins, from
five cents to two dollars.
Other collector products adding to the celebration of
Elsie MacGill include:
- Coloured and uncoloured limited-edition special wrap rolls of
25 uncirculated coins each (uncoloured rolls only available in a
Special Wrap Roll Set), and
- A commemorative Collector Keepsake Card featuring both versions
of the circulation coin, packaged with uncirculated versions of
2023 classic circulation coins (5-cent to $2).
These collectibles can be ordered as of today by contacting the
Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada,
1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca/macgill.They are
also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's Ottawa and Winnipeg boutiques, as well as through the
Mint's global network of dealers and distributors, including
participating Canada Post outlets.
About the Royal Canadian
Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for
the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. The Mint is one of
the largest and most versatile mints in the world, producing
award-winning collector coins, market-leading bullion products, as
well as Canada's prestigious
military and civilian honours. As an established London and COMEX Good Delivery refiner,
the Mint also offers a full spectrum of best-in-class gold and
silver refining services. As an organization that strives to take
better care of the environment, to cultivate safe and inclusive
workplaces and to make a positive impact on the communities where
it operates, the Mint integrates environmental, social and
governance practices in every aspect of its operations.
For more information on the Mint, its products and services,
visit www.mint.ca. Follow the Mint on LinkedIn, Facebook and
Instagram.
Images of the circulation coin and collector products are
available here.
SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint