Louise Arbour

Louise Arbour (1947 -     )

Canadian lawyer, prosecutor, civil servant and judge.

New Governor-General of Canada (2026 -     ).

Former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Was Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals

dealing with war crimes in Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

Also served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Companion of the Order of Canada (the country's highest honour).

In appointing her, Prime Minister Carney stated that she

"will represent the best of Canada . . . that is . . .

steadfast in the values we uphold."

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir (1930 -     )

Icelandic politician, French teacher and artistic director

of the Reykjavík Theatre Company. In 1980, she ran for

President of Iceland to prove that women were able to lead

political campaigns. She faced a barrage of ignorant and

insulting questions and assumptions due to being female.

She did not expect to win, but she did.

First woman to serve as President of Iceland, she held that

position for 16 years (1980 - 1996). This made her the

first woman in the world to be democratically elected as

president of a country, as well as the longest serving

elected female head of state in history.

Wilma Mankiller

Wilma Mankiller (1945 - 2010)

Native American activist, social worker, community developer,

author, speaker, and the first woman elected to serve

as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation;

a visionary leader, her administration built new health and education services,

developed commercial revenue streams for self-sufficiency,

and established self-government;

tireless activist for civil and human rights of her people;

recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1998) and

an honoree of the "American Woman Quarters" program (2022).

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama (1964 -     )

American lawyer, author and 

former First Lady of the United States (2009 - 2017)

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947 -     )

American politician, lawyer and diplomat;

served as Secretary of State in the Obama administration (2009-2013), 

Senator for New York (2001-2009),

and First Lady of the United States (1993-2001);

Democratic nominee for President in 2016;

first woman to win a presidential nomination by a major U.S. political party

and the only woman to win the popular vote for U.S. president.

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak (1982 or 1983 -     )

Canadian First Nations politician,

current Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (1989 -     )

American progressive politician and activist;

elected since 2019 as the Democratic member

of Congress for New York's 14th District;

affiliated with Democratic Socialists of America

Sarah McBride

Sarah McBride (1990 -     )

American longtime political and trans activist;

first openly transgender member of the United States Congress (1925).

Mélanie Joly

Mélanie Joly (1979 -     )

Canadian lawyer and Liberal Member of Parliament;

Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Trudeau government;

currently providing outstanding service on behalf of Canada

concerning the Tariff Trade War with the USA

and the Russian war on Ukraine.

Olena Zelenska

Olena Zelenska (1978 -     )

Ukrainian screenwriter and current First Lady of Ukraine;

Humanitarian activist on behalf of the Ukrainian people,

particularly orphans, children, the elderly and disabled.

Michaëlle Jean

Michaëlle Jean (1957 -     )

Canadian former journalist and broadcaster,

served as Governor-General of Canada (2005 to 2010),

first Haitian Canadian and black person to hold that office.

Princess Kaʻiulani

Victoria Kawēkiu Kaʻiulani Lunalilo

Kalaninuiahilapalapa Cleghorn (1875 - 1899)

Hawaiian royal princess and last heir apparent

to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke (2002 -     )

New Zealand M.P. representing Te Pāti Māori (Maori Party);

leader of her party's November 2024 Haka Ka Mate protest chant

against the Treaty Principles Bill affecting the indigenous treaty

relationship between Māori and The Crown.

Liz Cheney

Liz Cheney (1966 -     )

American lawyer and politician

Republican Neoconservative

Principled opponent of Trump and MAGA

Jody Wilson-Raybould

Jody Wilson-Raybould (1971 -     )

Canadian lawyer, former federal politician, author

First Indigenous Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Canada

Member of the We Wai Kai Nation in British Columbia

Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris (1964 -     )

American lawyer and politician

49th Vice President of the United States

Democratic Presidential Candidate, 2024

Olivia Chow

Olivia Chow (1957 -     )

Canadian politician

Mayor of Toronto

Dame Jacinda Ardern

Dame Jacinda Ardern (1980 -     )

Former Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand

Mary Simon

Mary Simon (1947-    )

Inuit and Indigenous rights activist,

Governor-General of Canada (2021 - 2026)