born in glace bay, nova scotia, on the feast of the assumption, peggy was a roman catholic religious sister in the sisters of notre dame congregation. she obtained several degrees, as a b.a. degree in philosophy, a b.a. degree in education, a m.a. degree in political philosophy from the university of ottawa, and a ph.d. degree in political philosophy from the university of toronto. through her life she served as a schoolteacher and high school principal. later she was a professor at st. francis xavier university and the university college of cape breton (now cape breton university).