Mary Walker-Sawka facts for kids

Mary Walker-Sawka (born around 1916) was a Canadian film producer. She made history as the first woman to try and become the leader of a big national political party in Canada. In 1967, she was a surprise candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. This party was the main opposition in the Canadian government at the time. Most candidates spent months campaigning, but Mary Walker-Sawka announced her plan just days before the big meeting.

Running for Party Leader

The 1967 meeting was held because some party members wanted a new leader. The old leader was John Diefenbaker, who used to be the Prime Minister of Canada. Mary Walker-Sawka said she supported Diefenbaker. However, she felt she could bring new ideas to the party.

Mary Walker-Sawka's Ideas

She gave a short speech about her plans for Canada. Here are some of her ideas:

• Canada should leave NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). These are military alliances.
• Canada should watch its foreign aid programs closely. This would make sure help goes to the right people.
• All houses older than 20 or 30 years should be rebuilt.
• Payments for seniors (Old Age Security) should go up to $100 per month.
• Schools should be updated. Students should learn at least six languages.
• A federal sales tax of 11% should be removed.

Mary Walker-Sawka asked women to support her. She wanted to help women get more involved in politics.

The Leadership Vote

During her speech, Mary Walker-Sawka did not speak any French language. This was unusual, as most candidates included French in their speeches. A newspaper called The Globe and Mail said she looked like a housewife who was lost. But Mary Walker-Sawka said she was a film company head and never had time to be a housewife.

She needed someone to officially suggest her name and someone to second it. Her friend, Marian Ray, suggested her. But it took a while to find someone to second her nomination. Finally, Barbara Wheeler stepped in to help.

When the votes were counted, Mary Walker-Sawka received only two votes. Because she had so few votes, she was removed from the list of candidates.

After the Election

In November 1967, Mary Walker-Sawka sent a message to a government minister, Judy LaMarsh. She wanted to be the head of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). She said she had experience in film and TV. She also offered to do the job for half the usual pay. However, she was not chosen for the position.

Later, in December, the party held a meeting to plan for the future. Mary Walker-Sawka was the only candidate from the leadership race who was not invited. The party felt she didn't have enough support or commitment as a member.

Film Career

Mary Walker-Sawka worked with her husband, Paul Sawka. They owned a film company called Palmar Productions.

In 1968, their company released a movie called The Man Who Wanted Nothing. Mary Walker-Sawka was the director of this film. The movie was nominated for a Canadian Film Award for Best Picture. However, it lost to another film called The Ernie Game.