Secret Life of Canada

The Sex Scandal & The Spy

Falen and Leah explore the history of our country’s first political sex scandal! At the height of the cold war, several ministers in John Defeinbaker's government decided to have an affair. Turns out, they all ended up with the same woman. Was she really a spy for East Germany?

A crash course on Canada's first political sex scandal

Black & white image of Gerda Munsinger
Alleged Russian KGB spy Gerda Munsinger had an affair with Canadian Defence Minister Pierre Sevigny for three years at the end of the 1950s, causing what was possibly Canada’s first national political sex scandal. (CP) (Canadian Press)

Our country's first sex scandal!  At the height of the cold war several ministers in John Defeinbaker's government decided to have an affair. Turns out, they all ended up with the same woman. Was she really a spy for East Germany?

Listen to the episode here, and get transcripts of our series here

Key References

Munsinger Affair

1966: Searching for Gerda Munsinger - CBC ARCHIVES

Canada's 1960s: The Ironies of Identity in a Rebellious Era by Bryan Palmer

Canada: The Munsinger Affair TIME MAGAZINE

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO MATTERS RELATING TO ONE GERDA MUNSINGER

Gerda Munsinger remembers with Barbara Frum - CBC ARCHIVES