“Part of giving back means lifting as I climb.” That’s a quote from 2019 Women of the Year honouree Candace Thomas, a Halifax-based lawyer who, earlier this year, became the first woman—and woman of colour—to chair Dalhousie University’s board of governors. Thomas is talking about her own commitment to giving back to the faculty and students of her alma mater, but it’s a goal that’s shared by all of the unstoppable, audacious women we’re honouring this year. It’s also a goal that’s close to our hearts here at Chatelaine.
In the magazine and on our website, we are privileged to have a platform to elevate the voices of Canadian women from coast to coast. We have a year-round commitment to highlighting those who are making our country, and our world, a better place—one research paper, NAFTA negotiation and zero-waste household at a time—and there’s no better way to mark another 365 days of doing so than by celebrating our 2019 Women of the Year.
Read on to learn more about this year’s honourees. And as we move forward into 2020, let’s continue to climb—and lift—together.