Barbara Dickson’s book, Bomb Girls: Trading Aprons for Ammo is a comprehensive, historical record of Canada’s biggest WWII munitions plant, GECO, which employed over 21,000 citizens, predominantly women, courageously working with high explosives around the clock during the Second World War.

In her presentation, Barbara delivers a dramatic, personal, and detailed review of GECO and shares with audiences the incredible contribution made by so many women so long ago. What was it really like to work in a munitions factory? Did anyone die? What were working conditions like? How closely did bomb girls resemble “Rosie the Riveter?” Barbara draws from over 20 years of research to answer these questions.

About Barbara Barbara Dickson is a sought-after award-winning best-selling author, historian, public speaker, documentary film producer and writer who has entertained, educated, and enlightened audiences for twenty-five years.

Vision Barbara strives to educate Canadians about the phenomenal work carried out by women across the nation whose invaluable contribution helped win the Second World War. She is committed to ensuring that Canada’s bomb girls are honoured and commemorated by fellow Canadians including all levels of government. Her legacy project is to found a museum on the old GECO site where the public can come learn, appreciate, and remember the critical sacrifice women made for their country so long ago.

Milestones • Two Scarborough streets commemorating GECO and Canada’s bomb girls named in 2020; • Release of Bomb Girls: A Documentary, Bell Media, 2017, and short-listed for the Annie Potts award at the prestigious 2018 Imperial War Museum’s Film Festival; • Release of Bomb Girls: Trading Aprons for Ammo, Dundurn Press, 2015; • 2016 Finalist of Ontario Legislature’s Book Award; • Hosted televised tour of GECO’s Scarborough tunnel system for CTV News, June 2012. Web: www.barbaradickson.ca Facebook: www.facebook.com/bombgirlsofscarborough e-Mail: barbara@barbaradickson.ca Address: P.O. Box 30001, RPO Huntingwood, Scarborough, ON M1T 0A1

January 16, 2025

Speaker:  Dr. Sharon Cohen

The Memory Program

Dr. Sharon Cohen is a behavioural neurologist and the medical director of Toronto Memory Program, a community-based medical facility which she established in 1996 for the purpose of enhancing diagnosis and treatment for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. Her memory clinic and dementia research site are among the most active in Canada. 

Dr. Cohen has over 30 years of experience in clinical research and has been a site PI for over 180 pharmacological trials in dementia, including phase 1 trials. She represents Canada on international advisory boards and steering committees and is a consultant to a wide range of stakeholders including government organizations and patient advocacy groups.  She is a frequent lecturer and contributes to media events including those on medical ethics. She is known for her advocacy of individuals with neurodegenerative diseases.

Despite academic and hospital appointments, Dr. Cohen has always chosen to practice in the community, in keeping with her belief that dementia care and clinical research are best offered in the real-world setting.