BRIGID M. O'REILLY

1937 - 2024 Brigid was a leader and a skilled communicator. She was a teacher, a public relations professional and an advocate for equality. She had an impact on all she met. She died on October 24, 2024, in Toronto. Born in Montreal, Brigid was the daughter of William H. O'Reilly and Mary Snetsinger. Educated at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, she went on to study at Marianopolis College, the University of Toronto (St. Michael's College) and the University of Michigan, where she earned a M.A in English. She later received a Master of Theological Studies from the U of T. After teaching briefly in Massachusetts, Brigid joined the staff of Monarch Park Secondary School in Toronto. She then shifted to work in government and business, contributing to a wide variety of organizations including Bowrings, Clarkson Gordon, the British Federation of Fruit and Potato Trades and Amnesty International. In 1988, she was given a YMCA Woman of Distiction award. In 1989, Brigid was appointed the Pay Equity Commissioner in Ontario, and became responsible for implementing government efforts to make "equal pay for work of equal value" a reality in the province. This was a natural extension of her volunteer work for the Ontario Committee on the Status of Women, in which she had been involved from 1971 onward. Brigid was also active in the federal sphere, contributing to the work of the National Committee on the Status of Women, particularly its efforts to strengthen the equality rights provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Naturally, she was also a supporter of LEAF (the Women's Legal and Action Fund), which was established to strengthen the Charter's impact. Brigid was married in 1973 to Peter Munsche. She is also mourned by her two surviving sisters, Honour Sauve of Lethbridge, Alta, and Susan O'Reilly of Montreal; as well as many devoted nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. A funeral will be held on November 5th at 11 a.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Church, 840 Bathurst St., Toronto. Following the service, a reception will be held at Brigid's home. In lieu of flowers, donations to the National Ballet of Canada or a Charity of Your Choice would be greatly appreciated.