The fonds documents Flora MacDonald's pre-political, political and post-political career. The fonds comprises 15 series of textual and electronic records, audio cassette, audio disc, videocasette, film reel, photographs, a drawing, prints, reproduction posters, a collage and objects. The series document the following issues: Pre-political,1926-1958. Executive Director of the Progressive Conservative Party, National Headquarters, 1957-1966. National Secretary of the Progressive Conservative Association, 1966-1969. Queen's University, 1966-1972. National Defence College, 1971-1972. Opposition, 1972-1979: Subject files, 1972-1979; House of Commons, Oral Questions, 1973-1984, questions asked by Flora MacDonald, and House of Commons, speeches, 1973-1979. Progressive Conservative Leadership Campaign, 1976: Speeches, itineraries, scrapbooks, briefing notes, Correspondence - pre-convention, donations, campaign contributions, campaign contribution by province, post convention. Secretary of State For External Affairs: Don Jamieson's operational correspondence; Canadian International Development Agency, 1979-1980 - Briefing memoranda, exempt staff correspondence and workfiles, minister's correspondence, briefing books, minister's speeches and communiqués; Opposition, 1980-1984, subject files, Parliamentary task force on pension reform, briefs, submissions and presentations, standing committee on Health, Welfare and Social Affairs (Bill C-3), Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs (Bill C-53), House of Commons, Oral question period, questions asked by the minister, House of Commons, speeches and trips. Employment and Immigration, 1984-1986: Minister's Correspondence C files, Correspondence FM files, Correspondence P files, Correspondence Secret files, Correspondence Parliament Hill Office, Speeches, exempt staff,and press releases. Communications, 1986-1988: Correspondence Parliament Hill Office, government department and agencies, departmental operation matters, political issues and matters, exempt staff's operational files, correspondence policies and programs, scheduling, parliamentary matters, minister's files, exempt staff files, operational files, legislation, briefing books, speeches, communiqués. Post-Political, 1988-1993: Subject files, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, 1989-1992. Speeches, 1972-1984. Awards, certificates, scrapbooks and clippings, 1969-1989. Electronic records 1983-1994: House of Commons speeches, 1983-1994; Member of Parliament, speeches, 1981-1983; Opposition critic, 1983-1984. Scheduling, 1982-1984; Constituency, outgoing correspondence, 1982-1983; Speeches, 1984-1985; Scheduling, 1984-1985; Communiqués, 1986-1988; and outgoing correspondence, constituency, 1987-1988.
The fonds also includes political ephemera acquired by the donor during the period ca.1972-1980. Included are: one editorial cartoon by Rusins Kaufmanis, former cartoonist for the Ottawa Citizen, on the subject of the potential Progressive Conservative and New Democratic Party leadership contenders in the races to replace Robert Stanfield and David Lewis; one limited edition print (etching) by Ernest Fosbery PRCA, (1874-1960) depicting Sir John A. MacDonald; one serigraph (silk screen print) impression of a re-election poster; one collage (original artwork/camera ready paste-up) for an election poster and containing a mounted black and white photograph of Flora MacDonald in conversation with a constituent (possibly a design proposal for a poster that was not used); six other electoral/leadership campaign posters (which amount includes single and/or duplicate examples), as well as three electoral/leadership campaign buttons, all promoting the election/re-election of Flora MacDonald in her riding (Kingston and the Islands) or her candidacy for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party.
MacDonald, Flora, 1926- : Flora MacDonald was born on 3 June1926, in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. Educated in North Sydney High School, Empire Business College, she then went on to become the first female graduate of the year-long course in Canadian and International Studies at the National Defence College, Kingston (1972). MacDonald holds Honorary degrees from a number of universities in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, including the University of Maine, Orono; Queen's University, Kingston; McMaster University, Hamilton; Mount Saint Vincent University, Rockingham, Nova Scotia; Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia; the State University of New York, Potsdam; York University, Toronto; Royal Military College, Kingston; and the University of Edinburgh.
From 1943-1956, she held various secretarial positions in Canada and the United Kingdom. From 1966-1972 she was an administrative officer and tutor, Department of Political Studies, Queen's University.
She was the Executive Director of the Progressive Conservative National Headquarters, 1957-1966 and National Secretary of the Progressive Conservative Association of Canada 1966-1969.
MacDonald was first elected to the House of Commons for Kingston and the Islands in 1972 and was re-elected in 1974, 1979, 1980 and 1984. As member of the Opposition she served as critic for Indian Affairs and Northern Development, December 1972 and critic for Federal-Provincial Relations, April 1976. She was a candidate in the 1976 Progressive Conservative Leadership race.
Sworn to the Privy Council June 4, 1979. She served in the Clark government as Secretary of State for External Affairs (1979-1980).
As member of the Opposition, MacDonald served as critic for External Affairs, April 1980; Chairperson of the Social Development Caucus Committee and spokesperson on the Status of Women, September 1981 and Vice-Chairperson of the Priorities and Planning Committee, April 1984.
MacDonald served in the Mulroney government as Minister of Employment and Immigration (1984-1986) and Minister of Communications (1986-1988). During these two portfolios, MacDonald sat on six Cabinet Committees: Priorities and Planning; Foreign and Defence Policy; Economic and Regional Development; Public Service; Priorities and Planning Sub-Committee on Trade Negotiations; and Social Development. She was defeated in the 1988 general election.
Following her political career, MacDonald was a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Canadian Studies of the University of Edinburgh from September to December 1989. Also in 1989, she was appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as Member: Eminent Person's Group to study Trans-National Corporations in South Africa.
From August 1990 to October 1991, she was a special advisor to the Vancouver-based Commonwealth of Learning. From 1990 -1994, Miss MacDonald was host of the popular TV series, North South, a weekly human affairs series featuring countries in the developing world.
From 1990-1994, Miss MacDonald was Chairperson of the Capital Fundraising Campaign, Mount St. Vincent University, Halifax.
In June 1992, MacDonald was appointed Chairperson of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
In April 1993, Flora MacDonald was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, and received the Order of Ontario 1995.
Flora MacDonald is currently Director of the following companies and organizations: Canada Trust Company; CARE Canada; Carnegie Commission Preventing Deadly Conflict; Centre for Refugee Studies, York University; Friends of the National Library; Queen's University Council; Refugee Policy Group, Washington D.C.; Shastri Indo-Canada Institute. She is a Patron of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and Honorary Patron for Canada of the National Museums of Scotland.
