Former Member of Parliament and community activist Margaret Mitchell received the City of Vancouver’s highest honour on Tuesday when she accepted a Freedom of the City award.
Mitchell was elected as the NDP MP for Vancouver East in 1979 after years of working in the area to increase public housing and improve the lives of people on welfare. In Ottawa, she pushed for the equality of women and the decriminalization of abortion, and served as the critic for immigration and housing, status of women and multiculturalism.
In a 2012 letter published by The Vancouver Sun, Mitchell recalled the moment she may best be known for:
“When I stood up in the House of Commons in 1982 to inform the members that spousal abuse occurred in 10 per cent of Canadian families, many male members of the House laughed and the country was shocked.”
Mitchell had been writing at the time in disappointment over the results of a survey that found 10 per cent of Alberta men believed there are times that physically assaulting a spouse is okay.
Mitchell received the Order of B.C. in 2000, and her work to promote economic and social justice for women continues through the Margaret Mitchell Fund for Women.
Mayor Gregor Robertson said he has been honoured to call Mitchell a friend.
“Margaret Mitchell has been a selfless advocate and supporter of marginalized communities. Her work has included ensuring foundational civil rights for all Canadians, and legally enshrining women’s equality by advocating for and amending the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” he said in a news release.
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