Margaret Phillips was born in 1931, in Ottawa, Ontario, and spent much of her life in Northwestern Ontario. Phillips is known as a feminist and social activist, also credited for her anti-racist activism. Beginning her career in organized recreation, Phillips became the first Canadian woman to work as an arena manager (Iroquois Falls 1957-1960), and then as municipal recreation director (Kenora, 1960-1967). Furthermore, Phillips was the first woman President of the Society of Directors of Municipal Recreation of Ontario.

Phillips worked with numerous social activist organizations. She served the Lakehead Social Planning Council as Executive Director (1971-1981), participated in founding the Thunder Bay Women's Centre (1973), was a member of the Northern Woman's Journal Collective (1982-1992), served as a board member of the Canadian Council on Social Development and the Ontario Welfare Council, and co-founded (with Anna McColl) the Northern Women's Bookstore (1984). Notably, the Northern Women’s Bookstore supported local Indigenous and Northern women with various women’s literature, writing groups, and social gatherings, such as book clubs and potlucks. Philips advocated for education around violence against women, lesbian issues, and women’s health.

City of Thunder Bay. Margaret Phillips. https://www.thunderbay.ca/en/city-hall/margaret-phillips.aspx
Lakehead University Archives. Margaret Phillips fonds. https://archives.lakeheadu.ca/index.php/margaret-phillips-fonds
The Chronicle Journal. Margaret Alberta Phillips: 1931-2015. https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/chroniclejournal/name/margaret-phillips-obituary?id=42970445