These 18 brilliant women have never followed the rules. From the earliest days of Canada’s history to the newspaper headlines of today, they fought for their beliefs and made a difference. Read about:

• Klondike Kate, the infamous dancehall girl known for her antics during the Yukon gold rush
• Naomi Klein, journalist, feisty anti-globalization activist and author of the international bestseller No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies
• Nell Shipman, the silent film actress, producer and director who became the first woman ever to do a nude scene in Back to God’s Country
• Penny Hoar, the outrageous Rhinoceros Party candidate, comedienne, and sexual renegade
• Alanis Obomsawin, the legendary First Nations documentary filmmaker and humanitarian activist
• Cougar Annie, a West Coast pioneer who survived four husbands, chased off cougars with a shotgun and cleared a still-surviving two-hectare garden out of the wilderness
• Mina Hubbard, who trekked across Labrador more than 100 years ago to save the reputation of her dead husband

and many more…