May Cutler (September 4, 1923[1] – March 3, 2011) was a Canadian author, journalist and publisher. Cutler founded Tundra Books in her basement in 1967, becoming Canada's first female publisher of children’s books.[2] Cutler also served a four-year term as the first female mayor of Westmount, Quebec from 1987 to 1991.[2]
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Cutler was born May Ebbitt in the east end of Montreal in 1923.[1][2] Her parents, Francis (née Farrell) and William Ebbitt, a police officer, were Irish immigrants.[2] She married Phil Cutler, a Canadian labor lawyer, who died in 1987.[2] The couple had four sons - Keir, Adam and Michael, who are twins, and Roger.[2]
Cutler earned both her bachelor of arts and her master of arts degrees from McGill University in Montreal.[2] She next obtained a second master of arts in journalism from Columbia University in New York City.[2]
Cutler worked for the United Nations following her graduation from Columbia University.[2] Cutler returned to Canada, where she became a columnist and reporter for the former Montreal Herald. She also wrote magazine articles for the now defunct Montreal Standard.[2] Cutler was only the second woman to be hired by the Canadian Press.[1]
She would later join the faculty of McGill University, where she founded a three-year curriculum program for journalism.[2]
In 1967, Cutler founded Tundra Books in the basement of her home. In doing so, Cutler became the first Canadian woman to become a publisher of children's books in history.[2] Cutler owned and operated Tundra Books for more than 28 years.[2] She openly sought out writers and artists to author children's books for her publishing house. Cutler was the first publisher to release works by Stéphane Poulin, a French-language illustrator and author, and William Kurelek, who released A Prairie Boy’s Winter and They Sought a New World through Tundra Books.[2] In addition to children's publishing business, Cutler also published books by architect Moshe Safdie and novelist Roch Carrier, including his work The Hockey Sweater.[3]
Cutler successfully guided Tundra Books through financial difficulties, as well as the death of her husband in 1987, which coincided with her political campaign for mayor of Westmount.[2] Tundra Books was sold to the McClelland & Stewart publishing firm in 1998.[2]
Cutler also wrote and published her own works during her career. She published her novel, The Last Noble Savage, in 1967.[2] She also penned a musical, two theatrical plays and a biography of Kurelek entitled Breaking Free: The Story of William Kurelek.[2]
Cutler decided to enter politics in 1987 following several personal and professional disagreements with the local government. The city council of Westmount, Quebec, had refused her request for a zoning change which would have allowed Tundra Books' headquarters to move to the street-level floor of Sherbrooke Street which she had purchased.[2] Cutler announced her candidacy for mayor of Westmount in 1987, which was her first political campaign.[2] She defeated incumbent Westmount Mayor Brian Gallery in the 1987 mayoral election, becoming the first female mayor of the city.[2] Gallery later praised Cutler's handling of the transition of power saying, "She was listening, she asked good questions...I walked away from our chat thinking she’ll be a good friend. The keys to the city will be in very good hands."[2] Montreal city councilman Marvin Rotrand also noted that Cutler's election, "marked a sea change from the clannish, traditional way that Westmount had always been run." Cutler served one four-year term as Mayor of Westmount. Cutler declined to run for re-election in 1991 and asked then Westmount city coucilman Peter Trent to run to succeed her as Mayor.[2] Trent was elected in 1991 when Cutler stepped down from office.[2]
May Cutler travelled to Antarctica in 2010 for a six week trip.[2] She died in her home in Montreal on March 3, 2011, at the age of 87, after being hospitalized in February.[2] She had suffered from several illnesses. Cutler was survived by her four sons and six grandchildren.[2]