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Article by  Conrad Hadland

“Dr. Hutcheon and I started the Humanist Discussion Group of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver in the early 1990’s when we both became convinced that the philosophy of Humanism needed rejuvenation in Unitarian circles.

“I was delighted when Pat completed this autobiography as it flushed out how she had developed her critical thinking skills despite the enormous hurdles she encountered in her life-long quest for understanding our place and opportunities in the universe.

“Her auto-biography is very detailed.  The contrast between her father and mother’s love of ideas becomes quite apparent as her story unwinds.  But, thankfully, she had at least one parent whose resistance of conventional wisdom gave her encouragement to challenge the status quo.

“Her ability to cope with extreme poverty while living on the prairies during the depression encourages us to realize how incredibly fortunate we are today to live in a society with a safety social system that while not perfect, yet is a huge step forward from the somewhat desperate lack of social support Pat encountered during her childhood.

“In her teen years, the emotional sadness of losing a potential soul mate during the war reminds us of how critical having support for our persona is.  We are also reminded of this during her account of her marriage to a person who appeared to have no sense of just who his mate was.  Too many of us have gone through a similar process when youth and naivety conspired to launch us into unfortunate alliances.

“Her intellectual ability was recognized after she became a teacher to the extent that she won a scholarship for PhD program in an American university.  But, when she eventually went to do the work required for the completion of the degree, she encountered, from her university advisor, sexual expectations that she was not prepared to fulfill.  I suspect that she was only one of many women who faced such obnoxious demands.

“Her intellectual advancement was impeded by authorities immersed in extreme feminism and Marxism.  But she never felt comfortable in endorsing ideologies that inhibited her free-thinking quest.

“Fortunately, she had encountered a Unitarian group that was prepared to challenge and test the thoughts and ideas that we humanists find compelling.  Eventually, in this group she met Sandy who became her husband after his wife died.  Finally, she had the daily support and acceptance that free-thinkers crave and delight in.

“Health problems where an ongoing concern during her adult life.  I have always been amazed how she can soldier on with her writing despite back pain that limits her ability to use her computer to a few minutes at a time.  Her autobiography details the inappropriate medical attention she received when attempting surgery to minimize the problem.

“Her extensive writing on themes relevant to humanist concerns gave her international recognition in both the United States and Canada.  Her last non-fiction book, “The Road to Reason” is undergoing publication outside Canada.  It is an outstanding primary to appreciating our debt to humanist thinkers today and in the past.

“This autobiography will be encouraging to us all and especially to those of us who have overcome serious obstacles in maintaining an appreciation of humanist values.”