deaths
April 11, 1997
Muriel McQueen Fergusson, Canadian lawyer and politician, Canadian Speaker of the Senate (born 1899)

Muriel McQueen Fergusson
Muriel McQueen Fergusson, was a Canadian activist, judge and politician. Fergusson served in the Senate of Canada and the first woman Speaker of the Senate. She is known for a long career of advocating for the less privileged, most often women.
Speaker of the Senate of Canada
The speaker of the Senate of Canada is the presiding officer of the Senate of Canada. The speaker represents the Senate at official functions, rules on questions of parliamentary procedure and parliamentary privilege, and presides over debates and voting in the chamber. The office of the speaker is held by Raymonde Gagné who has held the position since May 16, 2023.