THUNDER BAY — Elsie MacGill, a key contributor to the success of the Allies in the Second World War and to the advancement of women's rights, is now featured on a commemorative coin.
The Royal Canadian Mint is issuing a new $1 circulation coin honouring the Canadian woman who broke barriers as an engineer before, during and after the war, and became an influential advocate for women's rights and professional equality.
MacGill became chief engineer at the Canadian Car and Foundry plant in Thunder Bay in 1938, was the first woman in the country to graduate with a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1927, the first woman in North America to graduate with a Master's in Aeronautical Engineering in 1929, the first woman in Canada to become a practicing engineer in 1938, and the first North American woman — possibly the first in the world — to design an aircraft that was produced under her direction through to prototype (the Maple Leaf II trainer).
In its announcement, the Mint noted that at the Thunder Bay plant, she was instrumental in the re-tooling of the factory for the production of nearly 1,500 Hawker Hurricane fighter planes, and spearheaded improvements for cold-weather performance by designing adaptations such as ski landing gear and de-icing capabilities.
Following the war, MacGill was involved in the development of international civil aviation standards, but also became a passionate advocate for gender equality.
She led the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs from 1962 to 1964 and was appointed to the Royal Commission on the Status of women in 1967.
In 2019, the Lakehead District School Board voted to name its newest elementary school École Elsie MacGill Public School.
In an interview Wednesday, Heather Harris, the school's first principal and now a superintendent at Lakehead Public Schools, called the commemorative coin "a really well-deserved honour" for MacGill.
"She made so much progress for women, and it was something she really believed in, that women could do anything. Being the first female aeronautical engineer was such an impressive feat, and to have that connection to Thunder Bay is pretty special as well."
Harris said she expects the school community will be pleased with the latest tribute to MacGill.
"She's been in the news more and more, and receiving recognition for the amazing things she did, so I think the school community will feel really proud."
Elsie MacGill biographer Crystal Sissons said she "always looked to the horizon in her engineering and feminist endeavours and sought to move beyond it. She was not deterred by setbacks."
MacGill's grandson, Rohan Soulsby, was present Tuesday for the unveiling of the coin at the Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary.
"I spent nearly every Sunday evening during my high school years with Elsie and my grandfather, Bill 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," he recalled.
The artwork on the coin is the creation of Tofino, B.C., artist Claire Watson.
It depicts MacGill holding up a pair of rolled-up blueprints, with the trainer aircraft she designed flying above her and the Hurricane flying beside her.
Three million coins will be produced by the mint, including two million coloured versions.
Canadians can expect to see them showing up in their change at banks and businesses as they replenish their inventories of $1 coins.
The coins are also available as collectibles in a six-piece set packaged in an illustrated collector card that contains uncirculated versions of 2023-dated coins from five cents to two dollars.
These can be purchased at participating Canada Post outlets or other distributors, can be ordered over the phone at 1-800-267-1871, or can be ordered online at www.mint.ca/macgill.
