Hon. Flora MacDonald at the Canadian Club of Toronto

Flora MacDonald has been active in Canadian politics since the 1970s. She served as an MP and Cabinet Minister, and in 1979 she became the first woman to be appointed Secretary of State for External Affairs. Since leaving politics in 1989, Flora has been involved in a range of human rights and environmental activities around the globe, and is currently working in Afghanistan and India. She has received numerous honours in her life, including the Order of Canada, the Pearson Peace Medal, India's Padma Shri Award, and the EVE award from Equal Voice. Equal Voice is a national multi-partisan advocacy organization committed to promoting the election of more women to every level of government, and to raising awareness about the under-representation of women in Canadian politics. Equal Voice has chapters in every province, as well as youth chapters. The Canadian Club of Toronto was founded in 1897, and is one of the premier public affairs forums in North America. Over its 109 year history, many distinguished leaders and newsmakers have visited the Club's podium, including Winston Churchill, most Canadian Prime Minsters, Sheila Fraser and the UN's Louise Arbour, to name a few.