Fierce Canadian women missing in mainstream history books

One morning, on our summer holiday, I began reading a story out loud to my kids from Lisa Dalrymple's book "Fierce" . They typically wouldn't have paid much attention, but in the quiet of country life, the story piqued their interest and, It didn't take long before they were hooked.

I was reading them the story of Marguerite De La Roque, a French woman from the 1500s. Marguerite was traveling on a ship when the captain accused her of unladylike behavior.

As punishment, the Captain dropped Marguerite on a remote, abandoned island near Newfoundland called Demon Island because of its brutally harsh conditions.

Marguerite survived the harshest and most terrifying conditions. These included burying her husband and children on the island before being rescued.

The book includes stories about an indigenous warrior who played a pivotal role in negotiations during the early fur trade, a feminist spy who reported stories under a pseudonym, and Cougar Annie who lived a colorful life and ultimately thrived in the rugged outback of British Columbia.

Lisa Dalrymple's book is an excellent resource for finding out more about the untold stories of women from Canada's history.

Check out these links to see Lisa Lisa Dalrymple read and discuss her book:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz1Fc_J7TKo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8_0FWlMkcg

Sara Plaw is a Toronto-based content creator.  This blog explores the stories behind women who are often disregarded by the mainstream.