Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to pay homage to Rosemary Brown who died this past weekend.
A passionate woman with a determined vision of equality, Rosemary Brown took on the position of volunteer Vancouver ombudsman as “the challenge I have been waiting for all of my life”. She entered provincial politics in 1972 because she was on the board of the Vancouver status of women which urged women to run. In her memoirs Brown wrote: “I have never lost sight of the fact that I was the women's candidate, that they nominated me, worked for me, and elected me”.
In 1972 Rosemary Brown became the first black woman to be elected to political office in Canada, winning her seat in the B.C. legislature. She was a tireless leader in the struggle for rights of men, women and children everywhere. Rosemary Brown was honoured around the world for her life work, as well as in Canada where she was named an officer of the Order of Canada in 1966.
Through her sustained efforts she became an inspiration in the field of social activism. Rosemary Brown's goals endure: to push boundaries, to challenge absolutes, and to make equality a reality for every human being.