Peggy Butts

The Honourable
Peggy Butts
The Honourable Peggy Butts
Senator for Nova Scotia
	In office; September 22, 1997 – August 15, 1999
Nominated by	Jean Chretien
Appointed by	Roméo LeBlanc
Personal details
Born	August 15, 1924
Died	March 6, 2004 (aged 79)
Political party	Liberal Party of Canada
Relations	Gerald Butts (nephew)
Alma mater	University of Ottawa (MA); University of Toronto (PhD)
Profession	Social activist, educator, nun

Mary Alice "Peggy" Butts (August 15, 1924 – March 6, 2004) was a Canadian politician who represented Nova Scotia in the Senate from 1997 to 1999.

Early life and education

Born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, on the Feast of the Assumption, Peggy was a Roman Catholic religious sister in the Sisters of Notre Dame congregation. She obtained several degrees, including two bachelor's degrees in philosophy and education, a master's degree in political philosophy from the University of Ottawa, and a PhD in political philosophy from the University of Toronto. Through her life she served as a schoolteacher and high school principal. Later she was a professor at St. Francis Xavier University and the University College of Cape Breton (now Cape Breton University).

Political career

At the age of 73, Peggy was appointed to the Senate.^[1] However, qualification laws for senators caused problems with her appointment. All Canadian senators are required to possess land worth at least $4,000 in the province for which he or she is appointed, as well as own real and personal property worth at least $4,000, above his or her debts and liabilities. Having taken a vow of poverty upon becoming a nun,^[2] Butts was able to officially be sworn in only after her order formally transferred a small parcel of land to her name.^[2] Butts resigned at the age of 75 as required by law,^[1] and for her two years of service donated her entire salary to charity.^[1]

Personal life

She had a strong influence on her nephew Gerald Butts, principal secretary to both Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.^[3]

Peggy Butts died in Sydney, Nova Scotia at age 79 in 2004.^[1]^[4]

Awards

Butts received the Weiler Award in 1995 in recognition of her contributions to community and social development in Canada, and was awarded an honorary degree from St. Francis Xavier University in 1996.

She received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Staff reporter (2004-03-10). "Sister Peggy Butts, Canadian activist, senator, dies at age 79". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 2005-02-18. Retrieved 2008-02-12. A Canadian social activist who was the first nun to serve as a Canadian senator died March 7 at age 77. [...] Former prime minister Jean Chrétien appointed Sister Butts to the Senate in 1997 when she was 73. She resigned two years later after reaching the Senate retirement age of 75. During that time, she donated her government salary to the poor...
^ ^a ^b Staff reporter (April 1998). "Canada's Upper House: Do We Need the Senate? - Constitutional Origins". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2008-02-12. But having taken a vow of poverty 40 years ago, she lacked the necessary $4000 in "real and personal property" that is stipulated in Section 23 of the Constitution Act of 1867. Upon this realization, the scramble was on to ensure her appointment, and a small parcel of land was transferred by her Montreal-based order into her name.
^ Radwanski, Adam (September 3, 2016). "Gerald Butts: The BFF in the PMO". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
^ "Ex-senator activist nun dies in N.S." The Globe and Mail. 2004-03-08. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
^ General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "The Honourable Sister Peggy Butts". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2020-12-09.

External links

Peggy Butts – Parliament of Canada biography

[obit-1] Staff reporter (2004-03-10). "Sister Peggy Butts, Canadian activist, senator, dies at age 79". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 2005-02-18. Retrieved 2008-02-12. A Canadian social activist who was the first nun to serve as a Canadian senator died March 7 at age 77. [...] Former prime minister Jean Chrétien appointed Sister Butts to the Senate in 1997 when she was 73. She resigned two years later after reaching the Senate retirement age of 75. During that time, she donated her government salary to the poor...

[buttsp-2] Staff reporter (April 1998). "Canada's Upper House: Do We Need the Senate? - Constitutional Origins". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2008-02-12. But having taken a vow of poverty 40 years ago, she lacked the necessary $4000 in "real and personal property" that is stipulated in Section 23 of the Constitution Act of 1867. Upon this realization, the scramble was on to ensure her appointment, and a small parcel of land was transferred by her Montreal-based order into her name.

[3] Radwanski, Adam (September 3, 2016). "Gerald Butts: The BFF in the PMO". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 3, 2016.

[4] "Ex-senator activist nun dies in N.S." The Globe and Mail. 2004-03-08. Retrieved 2023-12-05.

[5] General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "The Honourable Sister Peggy Butts". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2020-12-09.

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