Until the mid-twentieth century, no Canadian woman was elected as a member of Parliament unless she filled a seat previously held by her hus- band, father, or brother. The year 1972 marked a refreshing transition. For the first time, five women – Monique Bégin (Lib), Flora MacDonald (pc), Grace MacInnis (ndp), Albanie Morin (Lib), and Jeanne Sauvé (Lib) – were elected to the House of Commons in their own right. In this riveting memoir of a trailblazing female politician, Monique Bégin tells the story of her journey into politics and beyond. Born in Italy, Bégin spent her childhood in France and Portugal before arriving in Montreal as a refugee of the Second World War. In 1967, she was swept into the world of politics when she became executive secre- tary of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women. Inspired by Pierre Trudeau, she then ran for the House of Commons and served in various cabinet positions, ultimately spearheading the landmark Canada Health Act before retiring to pursue a career in academia. Offering a revealing glimpse into the pervading sexism of Canadian public life, Ladies, Upstairs! details the experiences of a feisty, candid outsider who, through sheer for- titude, intelligence, and hard work, became minis- ter of health and welfare, a university dean, a sought-after member for commissions of inquiry, and an international expert on public health. The voice of a woman in a male world, a franco- phone among anglophones, and a skeptical politi- cian, Ladies, Upstairs! provides a fascinating account of one of Canada’s most impressive federal ministers and her discoveries through the decades. Monique Bégin is professor emeritus at the University of Ottawa. 1 M Q U P F A L L 2 0 1 8 M E M O I R • P O L I T I C A L S T U D I E S Ladies, Upstairs! My Life in Politics and After monique bégin Foreword by Bob Rae The intriguing memoir of a fish out of water in Pierre Trudeau’s cabinet. S P E C I F I C AT I O N S January 201. -i2l9lii87l77ccl2ZZ u8Sn-7NZbmU4Zu8Sn-7NZA64Zgchn--ZZ150r$ hZBZ-ZZ79S33ZZ,hZT&IZ3$0r0.ZZZ a:00£ZoDot5oT5a