A B.C. artist含羞草研究社檚 design is behind a new loonie being circulated by the Royal Canadian Mint to honour barrier-breaking engineer and women含羞草研究社檚 rights advocate Elsie MacGill.
含羞草研究社淚nspiring Canadians through stories of exceptional achievement is one of the most important functions of commemorative circulation coins,含羞草研究社� said President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint Marie Lemay. 含羞草研究社淲hat Elsie MacGill achieved as a trail blazing aeronautical engineer, and as a champion of women含羞草研究社檚 rights, made a difference in her lifetime and continues to influence us today.
含羞草研究社淗ers is a story that needs to be shown and celebrated on a circulating coin that will be shared by millions of Canadians of all ages.含羞草研究社�
Tofino-based artist Claire Watson含羞草研究社檚 vision was selected by the mint to use for the coin. It features MacGill holding a pair of rolled-up blueprints with the Maple Leaf Trainer II flying above her along with a Hawker Hurricane fighter plane.
Her name, 含羞草研究社淓lsie MacGill含羞草研究社�, is engraved beneath the fighter plane and the other side of the coin features an image of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
MacGill designed the Maple Leaf Trainer II and helped produce over 1,450 Canadian-made Hawker Hurricanes for the Allied war effort in the Second World War, earning the nickname 含羞草研究社淨ueen of the Hurricanes含羞草研究社� for her unique wartime contribution, according to the announcement.
She graduated from the University of Toronto in 1927, becoming the first woman in Canada with a Bachelor含羞草研究社檚 degree in Electrical Engineering and went on to become the first woman in North America with a Master含羞草研究社檚 degree in Aeronautical Engineering when she graduated from the University of Michigan in 1929.
A polio diagnosis in 1929 affected her mobility for the rest of her life, but hardly slowed her down as she went on to become Canada含羞草研究社檚 first female practicing engineer in 1938 and the first woman in North America to design an aircraft, the Maple Leaf II trainer.
含羞草研究社淓lsie MacGill always looked to the horizon in her engineering and feminist endeavours and sought to move beyond it,含羞草研究社� said biographer Dr. Crystal Sissons.
Watson expressed her reaction to the newly minted loonie in a Facebook post.
含羞草研究社淗oly smokes含羞草研究社t含羞草研究社檚 so strange to see one含羞草研究社檚 own illustration on a new shiny Canadian Loonie,含羞草研究社� she wrote. 含羞草研究社淭hanks to the Royal Canadian Mint engravers for doing such a great job含羞草研究社� the coloured Hawker Hurricane looks so cool. I just LOVE how they turned out!含羞草研究社�
In a Facebook post congratulating Watson, Mid Island - Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne noted that MacGill was the first Canadian woman to earn an Electrical Engineering Bachelor含羞草研究社檚 degree (in 1927) and the first woman in Canada to be a practicing engineer.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e loved Claire Watson含羞草研究社檚 art for years in Tofino, but now we含羞草研究社檙e going to see it on three million new loonies! Congratulations, Claire!,含羞草研究社� Osborne wrote.
含羞草研究社淓very time this coin lands in your palm or jingles in your pocket, you含羞草研究社檒l know that not only does it commemorate a remarkable Canadian woman who championed women含羞草研究社檚 participation in science and engineering, but it was also designed by a remarkable woman Vancouver Island artist.含羞草研究社�
Watson has designed three commemorative coins for the Royal Canadian Mint since 2019, but this is her first design that will see general circulation.
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