With sorrow
we inform friends and associates of Maryon’s death at
her Burlington home on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011.
A graduate of the Macdonald Institute, University of
Guelph, Maryon taught rural short courses for the
Ontario Department of Agriculture in food and
agriculture before working at Canada Packers Ltd, and
later, the T. Eaton Company.
Maryon is widely known for remarkable leadership as a
consumer advocate throughout a long career, including
the 1960s and 1970s when she helped Canada establish the
fundamental laws of consumer protection. Early in her
career as a consumer advocate, she inspired experts to
develop the case for reducing or removing tariffs on
children’s clothing as part of a highly successful
public campaign that included presentations to
governments. With others, she played an advocacy role
for consumers, leading to improvements in, and public
support for the 1976 Competition Act.
A volunteer and spokesperson for many years with the
Consumers’ Association of Canada, Maryon served as its
National President from 1971 – 1974. Maryon provided
leadership in a campaign addressed at industries with
special legislation, authority that was all too often
misused to grant generous benefits to suppliers. She
facilitated an ongoing program to design measurement
devices and incentives to induce Canada’s regulated
industries to operate in the public interest. She had
special fondness for farmers in general, but played a
controversial role opposing special restrictions imposed
under supply management to keep new farmers from
entering the business, and she publicly objected to each
supply management board’s success in increasing prices
paid by Canadian consumers.
Maryon exuded integrity, and had a special gift for
inspiring volunteers with a wide range of expertise to
work to improve the standing of consumers in Canada. On
rare occasions, the volunteer might be one of the
captains of industry providing public interest advice on
the grounds that the source would not be revealed. Most
volunteers were consumer activists, independent
researchers, community leaders, individuals with
experience in specific professions, trades or
industries, motivated citizens, university or college
researchers, persons from standards councils, writers,
or anyone Maryon so successfully persuaded to help make
a difference. Maryon was involved in the consumer
movement – most recently with the Consumer Interest
Alliance, Inc. working on transparency in financial
services and on improved food labeling - .right up until
the time of her death.
She represented consumers on a wide variety of Boards
and Councils in Canada, and internationally. Indeed her
volunteer work included a remarkably wide range of
organizations, international, national and local. Some
of these are: Canada’s National Farm Products Marketing
Council, the Women’s Institute of Canada, the
North-South Institute, the Macdonald Institute at the
University of Guelph, the Board of Governors of
University of Waterloo, several environmental
organizations and groups working on long term care
policy for Ontario. Maryon was astute in seeing where a
policy change was a practical prospect, and her heart
was big enough to encompass many causes.
In 1975 Maryon was awarded the Order of Canada for her
long service to the public interest and for leadership
in so many roles. She will be sorely missed by the many
friends and colleagues she has worked with, encouraged
and inspired over the years. Maryon was admired,
respected and loved by many, and her influence for the
good has been immeasurable. She brought light to so many
people in the adventures she pursued throughout her
life. Her generosity, humour and compassion for others
were remarkable. She maintained her remarkable grace and
sense of humour to the end and will be fondly remembered
by all those she touched.
At Maryon’s request there will be no service. To honour
her wish, Bill and Maryon’s ashes will have a private
interment at a later date in Greenwood Cemetery,
Burlington followed by a Celebration of Life at a
gathering of friends and family. This celebration of
Maryon’s life will be held at Kings Court, 1159 King
Rd., Burlington, on Thursday, May 26th, 2011 from
12-3pm.
“It’s been a wonderful ride and I love you all”
See display of
photos of Maryon |
