Julia Verlyn LaMarsh PC OC QC (December 20, 1924 – October 27, 1980) was a Canadian politician, lawyer, author and broadcaster.

Under Prime Minister Lester Pearson's minority governments of the middle and late 1960s, she helped push through the legislation that created the Canada Pension Plan and Medicare.

During World War II, she enlisted in the Canadian Women's Army Corps, travelled the country from 1943 to 1946, and attained the rank of sergeant.

[5] Besides shepherding the Medicare bill through parliament, she also became the first major western-world government official to oppose tobacco smoking publicly.

[6] On June 17, 1963, she rose to speak on the floor of the House of Commons and declared: "There is scientific evidence that cigarette smoking is a contributory cause of lung cancer and that it may also be associated with chronic bronchitis and coronary heart disease.

"[6] As Secretary of State, she presided over the Canadian Centennial celebrations in 1967,[7] presented the Broadcasting Act of 1968 to Parliament,[8] and served on the Royal Commission on the Status of Women.

When it became clear after the first round of voting that Hellyer could not win, she urged him to drop off the ballot and throw his support to another candidate in order to stop Pierre Trudeau.

[2] Civil liberty groups criticized the media recommendations as violations on free speech and freedom of the press grounds.

[14] She had six female pallbearers including: Edith Druggan and Florence Rosberg, of Niagara Falls, broadcaster Barbara Frum, British Columbia Judge Nancy Morrison, lawyer Pamela Verill Walker, and Doris Anderson, president of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women.