Elizabeth Parker (journalist)

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Elizabeth Parker (b. December 19, 1856, Colchester County, d. October 26, 1944, Winnipeg) was a Canadian journalist in the early 1900's. She attended school in Truro, obtained her teaching certificate, married Henry John Parker at the age of 18, moved to Halifax and then to Winnipeg. She co-founded the Alpine Club of Canada in 1906 with Arthur Oliver Wheeler.

In 1902, she was working at the Manitoba Free Press (now the Winnipeg Free Press), when American Alpine Club president, Charles Fay, proposed to establish a Canadian chapter of the American club.^[1] Amidst nationalistic ideals, she wrote scathing criticism of the idea, and instead helped to establish the Alpine Club of Canada as an independent Canadian mountaineering organization. She and the Manitoba Free Press continued to publicize and support Canadian mountaineering, and with the help of the Canadian Pacific Railway, she organized the founding meeting of the ACC in 1906, at which she became the Club's first secretary.

In 2006, the Canadian government (through Parks Canada) produced a dramatic presentation called "Elizabeth Parker and the Alpine Club of Canada"^[2] (written and performed by actor and Parks interpreter Laurie Schwartz) describing Parker's contribution to Canadian mountaineering. The play credits Parker not only with her contributions to Canadian mountaineering, but also "a feminist commitment [that] paved the way for others".^[3]

The Alpine Club of Canada maintains the Elizabeth Parker hut near Lake O'Hara, named in her honour. Parker Ridge, overlooking Saskatchewan Glacier in Banff National Park, was named after Elizabeth Parker.^[4]

[edit] References

1. ^ Sandford, Bob. The Highest of Ideals:A Century of the Alpine Club of Canada. Alpine Club of Canada. Retrieved on 2006-08-03.
2. ^ Elizabeth Parker and the Alpine Club of Canada details from Parks Canada. Retrieved on 2006-10-16.
3. ^ vivelecanada.ca's review of the play. Retrieved on 2006-10-05.
4. ^ St-Denis, Natalie. Ten tales of peak performances in Canada's West. Retrieved on 2006-08-16.