I am a Person

Posted by Susanna McLeod Oct 21, 2007

It didn’t take hordes of people, but it took the strength of five determined, insightful women to alter the basic rights of Canadian women. The women became known as The Famous Five, and their grand efforts are acknowledged with a life-sized bronze monument in Canada’s capital city of Ottawa.

The task of the Famous Five was not easy. After years of fighting for rights and political participation, the group sent a petition to the Supreme Court of Canada asking for an examination of the word “persons” in the British North America Act. The wording was unclear that women would be included. The Supreme Court of the day did not side with the women and returned a negative opinion. The court argued “that the Act should be interpreted in light of the times in which it was written. Since women were not politically active in 1867, they could not be elected.” Auggh!

Disappointed but not daunted, The Famous Five took the case to a higher court, the Privy Council in England. The Judicial Committee overturned the Supreme Court decision on October 18, 1929, reasoning that “persons” included both men and women. “The exclusion of women from public office was,” agreed all five male Justices, “‘a relic of days more barbarous than ours.’"

Because of their hard work, Canadian women are “Persons” under the law. We can participate in the Senate, we have equal property rights, we can be heard when there are dire social problems. There is much to do yet: Native women’s rights, fair pay and eliminating violence against women. But as Canadians, we are also well on the way to equality.

A “Person”. I am a“Person”. I thank Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir Edwards, and Nellie McClung, members of The Famous Five.