On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at 6:30 pm, at an open to the public ceremony inside City Hall, Fort St. John City Council will posthumously bestow Jean Leahy with the Freedom of the City Award.  

Jean was heavily involved in the National Farmers Union for nearly 25 years, including serving as the Woman’s President from 1975 to 1979. During this time, she pushed for matrimonial property and pension rights legislation for women. In addition, Jean spent years advocating for improved quality of living for seniors in the region, helping to form the group Save Our Northern Seniors (SONS). As President, Jean and SONS pushed hard for additional long-term beds, leading to the construction of Heritage Manor I and Heritage Manor II retirement housing complexes.

The Freedom of the City is the highest honour given by the City of Fort St. John and is used in exceptional cases to recognize the significant contributions the recipient has made to our community. Council, by unanimous vote, can award the Freedom of the City to a distinguished person or unit of the armed forces.

Visit www.fortstjohn.ca/EN/main/local-gov/freedom-of-the-city.html for additional information and to view past recipients of this prestigious award.

Information provided by the City of Fort St. John