‘She was fierce, wise and simple’

Mothers who made sacrifices, supportive and understanding sisters, daughters who inspire and grandmothers who overcame major life obstacles – these are the important women in the lives of employees at Enbridge Gas.

To celebrate International Women’s Day we sent this question to folks here: “Tell us about an important woman in your life. What makes her so special?”

The responses were amazing and touching.

About a sister: “Though she may not realize it, I've always looked up to her.”

About a grandmother: “Her eulogy ended in three words that perfectly tied up the story of her life: Bread-baker. Sock-maker. Earthshaker.”

And a daughter: “She was the child of a single, teenaged mom and has created a successful life for herself.”

We share the responses fully in this article. We hope you enjoy, and thank you to all the brave, successful, inspiring women in all of our lives, on this International Women’s Day.

'My hero is my mother'

“My sister, Sheena. Though she may not realize it, I've always looked up to her. She speaks her mind and will always tell me the hard truth. No sugar coating! I'm inspired by her commitment to follow her dreams. Though she’s no boxer, her following her dreams reminds me of Rocky – ‘It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.’”

-Kerrie

“My wife. In light of the 2024 International Women’s Day theme of ‘Inspire Inclusion,’ she is highly successful in her career and an inspiration to young women who think they are limited by their gender. Forever proud of her.”

-Patrick

“My Dutch grandmother immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands seeking a new life following the Second World War. After she settled here, she became a foster parent to dozens of Canadian children all while raising her own six kids and establishing our family’s farm with her husband, my Opa. She was fierce, wise, simple, and could fix all problems with a cup of tea. Her eulogy ended in three words that perfectly tied up the story of her life: ‘Bread-baker. Sock-maker. Earth-shaker.’”

-Leah

“My mother. She is an only child and lost both of her parents at a very young age and was raised by her aunt. She became an accomplished emergency room nurse and raised four children. She’s my hero. She inspires me every day to be a better man, a strong thoughtful man, a humble man.”

-Brian

“My sister, Deanna. We are connected like twins though we’re three years apart. She is my adventure buddy, my travel partner, and my rock. Most importantly, she is an amazing and dedicated mother to my niece and nephew. I can’t imagine this life without her.”

-Michelle

“If one were to speak to my mother today, they would not see any evidence of the hardship she had to endure. She came from very humble beginnings, left her family, friends, and village to come to Canada with my father, who worked out of town all the time. She was basically alone, couldn’t speak English, didn’t drive, had three sons by the age of 26. As a kid, I remember taking the bus and walking a fair amount with my mother to attend our appointments. If only one of us had an appointment, my mother had to take us all, as childcare was not an option. She made sure we had enough to eat and even purchased us a small treat occasionally. Fast forward to today, it’s still ‘us before her,’ and she will not allow it to be any different. She is certainly my hero!”

-Enzo

“It will always be my mom. She is the most talented, hardworking, and selfless person I know. I would not have the career and successes I have had without the love and support of that woman. I'm beyond blessed to have her as my mom and my daughter’s nanny.”

-Steph

“My daughter.?Thirty years ago while sitting in my obstetrician’s office, I ripped out a quote on ‘confidence’ from the Readers Digest.?I carried that quote in my wallet for over 20 years.?I can’t recall the exact message but to me – no matter boy or girl – that child needed confidence and as a parent that was my priority, my goal.?I’m extremely proud of my daughter who not only has confidence but is well-rounded, kind, strong and determined.? My goal has been achieved.”

-Darlene

'I can only hope to be as giving as she was'

“My daughter.?She was the child of a single teenaged mom and has created a successful life for herself; happily married, in pursuit of her law degree, a kind and treasured friend and family member. She is my hero.”

-Luanda

“My maternal grandmother. Born in 1917 as an only child, she was encouraged to do what she wanted to do. She went to nursing school in the 1930s, training at Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto. When WWII came around, she sailed on a ship to England and nursed at a burn hospital outside London. She returned a bride of an army man. They raised three kids, ran a business, all with her working outside the home – almost unheard of in the 1960s. When she retired, she turned to volunteering and did that until after her 100th birthday. She died just shy of her 102nd birthday. An example of selflessness and duty, I can only hope to be as giving as she was.”

-Kathleen

“My best friend. She lost her father at a young age. Despite all the hurdles she faced in her early life, she became a registered nurse in Australia. I have known her since I was 15. She is a single mom to a beautiful daughter. Even after facing a lot in her own life, she has supported me through the hardships in my life and is the strongest woman I know.”

-Kamalpreet

My daughter is my hero. She shows me every day how to be fearless and make my voice heard. Even only being 11 years old, I am so proud of the young woman she is and is becoming.

-Michelle

“My mom is the most special woman in my life. Despite the challenges of being a single mother of four in Colombia, a country with traditional gender roles, she worked many jobs and demonstrated unmatched courage and perseverance raising her children. With her hard work, she paved a brighter future for my siblings and me. Her unwavering love, dedication and sacrifices not only made her my role model but also a beacon of inspiration for overcoming adversity with grace and resilience. She always saw the best in people and thought of me as a kind and positive-minded woman.”

-Ana

“My hero is my mother. She came to Canada at a young age from the Caribbean with just a tiny carry-on suitcase. While in Canada, she experienced racism for the first time; however, she refused to let the ignorance of others define her life. My mom is the best woman I know! She started her career journey as a lab technician but her passion was working with children. She gave up her tech career to go back to school to become a teacher. My mom’s teaching career was a successful one. My mom taught me many life lessons and the most important one was the ability to smile and laugh, during the good and bad times.”

-Natasha

“My grandmother. She immigrated to Canada with her husband and two daughters, one of whom had cystic fibrosis and was tragically lost in an accident as a young adult. Despite hardships such as war and great loss, she always cared for her family deeply and was there, whenever needed, for our entire lives. She is my best friend and hero.”

-Megan

“I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had several incredible women to admire throughout my life. My mother was one of these women who demonstrated what it means to be a strong and independent woman without apology. Additionally, many other women have influenced me throughout my career by leading with examples of inclusivity and forward-thinking, which has helped shape my leadership style – and look for the good in every day.”

-Leanne

It takes a village to raise a kid, and the same is true for ‘bringing up a successful woman.’ While I have many inspiring women who have played an instrumental role in shaping my career, I would still call my biggest inspiration and my backbone is MY MOM. At a very early age, she taught me a very important lesson of life: ‘Be financially independent in your life. If you are independent, your voice will matter.’ Those words stuck with me. I started my professional journey when I was 18, right out of college. I took side hustles as well, so I never had to ask my dad for money. Thank you for your wisdom, mom. It helped me then, and forever!

-Ash

“My mom. Not many people know that mother has a PHD in English Literature, Victorian fiction. She’s incredibly bright, modest, hardworking, a feminist, and has a beautiful gift of interjecting humour into the world.”

-Stephanie

“My mom Gisela. Among many other things, she has taught me the importance of strong family ties, self-reliance, a good book, being grateful for what you have, and not settling for anything (or anyone) less than you deserve. Despite a challenging childhood, the loss of my brother and more recently the loss of my Dad, she greets every day with optimism and purpose – at 85! She is also a cheerleader and loving presence for my two children who think that she is the best cook in the world.”

-Lesley