Jeanne Sauvé

Jeanne Mathilde Sauvé (née Benoît) was born in Prud'homme, Saskatchewan, and educated at the University of Ottawa and the University of Paris. Sauvé rose to prominence as an outspoken journalist and current affairs commentator on Radio-Canada television before winning election to Parliament in 1972.

In 1980, Pierre Trudeau named Sauvé the first female Speaker of the House of Commons, where she reformed parliamentary administration and introduced television cameras. In 1984, she was sworn in as Canada's 23rd Governor General, the first woman to represent the Sovereign in Canadian history, founding the Sauvé Foundation for youth leadership.