Irene Grant’s efforts on behalf of women span over 70 years, nearly six decades of which were as a member of the Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Club of Winnipeg. She joined the BPW in 1945 when she returned from service with the navy WRENs.
In 1945, when she resumed her teaching career, she broke the barrier that kept married women from teaching in Winnipeg. Active with the Manitoba Teachers Society since the 1950s, she served on the committee that was instrumental in changing the retirement policy forcing women to retire at age 60, five years earlier than their male counterparts. She also worked successfully towards achieving pay equity.
Grant has represented the BPW at the local, provincial and national levels, serving as president of the Winnipeg club and on the provincial executive as well as being programs and projects chair on the national board. During this time, she helped lead BPW’s sponsorship of numerous workshops and seminars addressing the needs of working women.
Grant also worked with the Family Law Reform Committee to effect passage of the Family Maintenance Act and the Marital Property Act and, from 1972 to 1982, she was the citizen’s advisor to Legal Aid Manitoba. She helped found the Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre and presented at the 1978 federal Task Force on Canadian Unity.
For 12 years, she served as a member of the Land Use Committee of the Manitoba Environmental Council and chaired the environment committee for the Provincial Council of Women of Manitoba for a three-year period.
Other awards and honours include the Government of Canada Person’s Day Award, a life membership in the International Peace Gardens and a life membership in the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs.
