Senator Martha Bielish was the daughter of impoverished immigrants from Ukraine. She grew up in rural Alberta where women in her community suffered from isolation and a lack of education. As an adult, Martha would devote her life to easing the plight of rural women. Her work, first for the Alberta Women's Institute and then for the Associated Countrywomen of the World, would earn her an appointment to the Canadian Senate in 1979. But her involvement with the cause she loved would come at a steep price.

Originally released by Susan Poizner, 2006. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on May 07, 2015.

Life of Rural Women (7:17); --Martha Begins her Teaching Career (8:12); -- Martha is Appointed to the Canadian Senate (5:58); .