Women’s Centre of Montreal founder Mona Forrest worked tirelessly to build and grow the centre over its first 19 years to provide a range of essential services, from offering free legal and notarial advice, to free counselling services, French classes for immigrants and refugees, vocational counselling, and a Christmas campaign providing food and toys for children.Courtesy of The Canadian Cancer Survivor Network
Back in 1973, where others saw an empty nurses’ residence on Montreal’s St. Urbain Street – and Hôpital Sainte-Jeanne-D’Arc saw a future parking lot – Mona Forrest envisioned a 20-room women’s centre, including an auditorium. And within a year, she made that vision come true.
The Women’s Centre of Montreal grew quickly, offering free legal and notarial advice, a clothing room, free counselling services, French classes for immigrants and refugees, vocational counselling, and a Christmas campaign providing not only food but also toys for children.
In 2013, when Ms. Forrest returned to Montreal to speak at the centre’s 40th anniversary, she astounded and amused the gala crowd with stories of how she convinced city hall to preserve the building and nearby housing – which became co-op housing – and to allow the women’s centre’s board to purchase the three-storey home.
“The crowd gave her a huge ovation,” said Johanne Bélisle, the centre’s current executive director.
“We started with a LIP [Local Initiatives Program] grant, as an information and referral service,” recalled Jackie Manthorne, Ms. Forrest’s spouse of 52 years. The phone service moved into the centre and Ms. Forrest became executive director. She guided the organization’s growth for its first 19 years, expanding grant by grant, and room by room, as she kept saying, “What we need to do next is ... .”
Ms. Forest is remembered for her tenacity in building the centre. With each grant and each new room, Ms. Forrest was often heard saying 'What we need to do next is ...'.Supplied
Now in its 51st year, the women’s centre has a budget of more than $3-million, and employs 51 paid staff members and 201 volunteers.
“We still answer more than 11,000 phone requests for help and referrals, and counsel more than 2,000 women every year,” said Ms. Bélisle, who has worked at the centre since 1987. “And we still have the same focus: helping women help themselves.”
Ms. Forrest died in Ottawa on Sept. 21 at the age of 78.
Mona Sharron Forrest was born in Montreal on April 22, 1945, to James and Sylvia Forrest. For a few years, when she was very young, her family lived in St-Hyacinthe, Que., where she ended up learning French before she spoke English. Her family, including her parents and brother, Ronald, later returned to Montreal. Ms. Forrest remained close with her family through adulthood, even after moving to Toronto in 1991, which made visits more difficult.
Ms. Forrest and Ms. Manthorne clicked instantly when they met at a Montreal neighbourhood holiday party. As Ms. Manthorne said at Ms. Forrest’s celebration of life, “We met in 1972 during the wild times of Vietnam War demonstrations, the rise and growth of civil rights, feminism, and the fight for equal rights for queer people.” The pair, who moved in together two weeks after meeting, maintained and promoted those values in their lives together.
Ms. Forrest’s résumé indicates that she enjoyed hard puzzles: “Her greatest enthusiasms while working in the [non-profit] sector have been fundraising for difficult causes, advocacy without breaking too many rules, fixing problems and communications, start-ups, social media for non-profits, and technology for people.”
For example, while still the centre’s executive director, Ms. Forrest also helped procure buildings for two other Montreal non-profit groups: Passages, a shelter and program for young women leaving the sex trade; and Auberge Madeleine, a pioneering housing resource for older homeless women. Both services are still operating. In Ottawa, Ms. Forrest established Code Blue, a program teaching computer code to young women without high-school diplomas.
In 1991, Ms. Forrest stepped down as executive director of the women’s centre, seeking new challenges and more family life. “We took training when we moved to Toronto in 1991,” Ms. Manthorne recalled, “and began to take in foster children. We’ve had a few since then.”
Indeed, the couple maintain a wide circle of these “chosen” family members. In addition to her daughter Sheanna Forrest-Manthorne; she leaves her chosen children, Leo Bennie, Kassandra Reece, Alexandrea Lynn Sutherland and Emily Easter; and their families; as well as her brother, Brian Forrest, and extended family.
“Sometimes [foster] children go back to their families,” Ms. Manthorne said. “We stay in touch.”
Ms. Reece was the first foster child to stay with the couple. “I only stayed with them for about a year when I was 11,” she said. “But they stayed in touch with me. I’m 33 now, and I consider them family more than my own family. I live about five minutes up the road from them. I have four kids of my own and Mona and Jackie treat them as grandchildren.”
In 1999, the couple moved to Ottawa, where they worked for another national cancer charity before helping to found the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network in 2012. The CCSN advocates for patients’ access to information and participation in cancer-related medical issues – the webinar section of its website offers a variety of expert self-help advice for patients – and co-ordinates among single-cancer agencies in dealing with government or medical institutions.
When COVID-19 struck in 2020 and tied up medical care from walk-in clinics to hospitals, the CCSN initiated its “Cancer Can’t Wait” publicity campaign to promote awareness that cancer patients across Canada required timely treatment. Last April at Queen’s Park, the CCSN presented an afternoon of information to Ontario legislators who attended the All-Party Cancer Caucus. Another event is scheduled for this fall.
Ms. Reece met Ms. Forrest and Ms. Manthorne in 2012, just in time to take part in their wedding. “That day was the happiest I ever saw Mona,” Ms. Reece recalled. Ms. Manthorne mentioned the high points: Their “chosen” families attended. “Mona’s brother walked her down the aisle. My mother walked me down the aisle.” But there was a bittersweet edge: They were wed in a United Church hall because their own Anglican denomination would not recognize their union.
Governments and non-profits alike have recognized Ms. Forrest’s skills and achievements. The Ontario government appointed her as an adjudicator for the Ontario Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, for a three-year term. Other awards came from the United Way, the Montreal Citizenship Council, the Women Who Make a Difference Award (International Women’s Forum), the People who Make a Difference Award (ditto), and the federal government Citation for Citizenship.
“Mona was happy when she was surrounded by community, when she was being helpful, when she was improving living conditions. She was a very inspiring person, visionary, and dedicated to helping others. She was also determined,” Ms. Bélisle said. “‘No’ was not an answer she’d accept.”
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