Victoria’s Read

Pauline Emily McGibbon. (Née Mills). Born Sarnia, Ontario
Oct 20, 1910 to  Dec 14, 2001. 

By all accounts, Pauline had a happy childhood filled with love and laughter from parents who were co-owner in a clothing store and active community volunteers.

She went on to study Modern History at Victoria College, University of Toronto, graduating in 1933.  In 1935, she married her high school sweetheart, Donald McGibbon.

She was a long time volunteer for various charities and groups including being president of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire (I.O.D.E.) in 1963-1965 and Chancellor at the University of Toronto from 1971-1974. 

She was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Ontario April 10, 1974, becoming the first woman to represent the Queen not only in Canada but in the entire Commonwealth. She filled her duties in office with grace and humor. She not only opened the official office  doors to visitors and hosted numerous receptions but she traveled extensively throughout the province bringing her position to the people she served.

Pauline was actually used to being “first”. She was ‘The first woman’ President of the University of Toronto Alumnae Association Chancellor of the University of Toronto, President of the Canadian Conference of the Arts, Governor of Upper Canada College, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Arts Centre and Director of four major Canadian companies: George Weston, IBM, Imasco and Mercedes Benz.

She was originally appointed to the Order of Canada for her volunteer work in 1967 and moved up in the rank of the Order in 1980. After leaving the office of Lieutenant Governor she remained busy as Chairperson of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa from 1980 though 1984. She then took on the position as member  at  large of the Board of trustees at the Toronto School of Theology until 1987. From 1980 she was also a Director of the Massey Hall/Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto from 1980-1990. In 1988 she received the Order of Ontario. Her commitment to the arts is also supported by the Pauline McGibbon Honorary Award in Theatre Arts.

By Dawn Monroe. www.famouscanadianwomen.com