Marion Dewar, a former Ottawa mayor and peace activist, died Monday morning after falling down during a visit to Toronto for the city’s international film festival.
Dewar, 80, served as Ottawa’s mayor from 1978 to 1985 was a member of Parliament from 1986 to 1988.
Originally a public health nurse, Dewar, born in 1928, was raised outside of Ottawa in Buckingham, Que. She started her life in politics as an Ottawa councillor in 1972.
She leaves behind five children including her son, Ottawa Centre’s member of Parliament and current NDP candidate in the federal election, Pauk Dewar.
He and other family members were reportedly at her side after the fall, which occurred on Friday.
When elected mayor in 1978, Dewar advocated against nuclear disarmament and while she was mayor she assembled a convention on the issue of homosexuality.
In 1979, she helped try to find sponsors for 4,000 Vietnamese refugees in Ottawa through Project 4000.
Also while serving as mayor, Dewar fought for more public input in municipal decision-making, improved low-cost housing, and better child care.
She also called for provisions in gender equality in the Canadian Charter of Rights.
Dewar was president of the federal New Democratic Party in the mid-1980s, until she lost in the 1988 general election to Liberal Beth Phinney by 74 votes.
Between 1989 and 1992, she was executive director of the Canadian Council on Children and Youth.
She became chair of Oxfam Canada in 1995, which is an organization that helps fight for the rights of those who are impoverished and have faced injustices around the world.
Dewar was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2002.
The public is invited to pay it's respects to the former mayor between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday in City Hall.
There will be a book of condolence open for public entries.
Dewar's funeral is to be held on Friday at 11 a.m at St. Basil's Church at 940 Rex Ave., near Westwood Park.