The famous five were five Albertan women involved in the famous “persons case”. In 1927, the five filed a petition asking whether women were legally considered persons, in the context of the British North America Act of 1867, which was to determine whether they were eligible for appointment to the Senate. The law stated that “the Governor General shall … summon qualified Persons to the Senate”, and at the time “persons” was understood not to include women. Although the supreme court ruled against the five (stating that women were unable to be appointed to the Senate), the Judicial Committee of the UK ruled for them. They were instrumental in securing women’s political rights and were the one of the spearheads of involvement of women in politics. They were also the first to challenge the existing authorities in court, and legally changed the law to allow for women, which is important. Also, all the individual women were important women’s rights …show more content…
She was said to have performed miracles, was said to be highly virtuous and was the first Native American to be canonized by the Roman Catholic church. Firstly, native American women have been traditionally marginalized in Canadian culture, and it is important to include indigenous women. Furthermore, she is an important figure from a period of Canada’s history that is just as important yet often forgotten. Finally, she symbolizes cooperation between a dominant culture and indigenous peoples, and promotes a positive future to reconciliation. Emily Carr was an artist and writer who was active during the early 20th century. She was heavily influenced by indigenous people, and was a leading Modernist and Post-Impressionist painter. Like the previous, she was an important figure in positive cooperation between our dominant culture and certain indigenous peoples. In addition, she is an important Canadian popular figure and is well-recognized for her
Steckley, J., & Cummins, B. D. (2008). Full circle: Canada's First Nations (2nd ed.). Toronto:
died on September 1, 1951, in Victoria, British Columbia. She was part of an important social/political change in Canada because her contributions helped achieve woman suffrage and the advancement of women rights, including the eligibility to become a Senator. She was elected to the Alberta Legislature in 1921 and was the first woman on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Board of Governors. In addition, she was a delegate to the League of Nations. In 1927, McClung and four other women: Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louis McKinney, Irene Parlby, and Emily Murphy came together to be known as the “Famous Five”. Emily Murphy’s authority to preside as a judge was challenged by a lawyer on the basis that women were not considered to be "persons" under the British North America Act. As a result, they launched the "Persons Case”. They asked the question, “Does the word persons in section 24 of...
Morris, M. (2000). Some facts and dates in Canadian women’s history of the 20th century. Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women, 20(1). Retrieved from http://criaw-icref.ca/millenium.
Despite the decreasing inequalities between men and women in both private and public spheres, aboriginal women continue to be oppressed and discriminated against in both. Aboriginal people in Canada are the indigenous group of people that were residing in Canada prior to the European colonization. The term First Nations, Indian and indigenous are used interchangeably when referring to aboriginal people. Prior to the colonization, aboriginal communities used to be matrilineal and the power between men and women were equally balanced. When the European came in contact with the aboriginal, there came a shift in gender role and power control leading towards discrimination against the women. As a consequence of the colonization, the aboriginal women are a dominant group that are constantly subordinated and ignored by the government system of Canada. Thus today, aboriginal women experiences double jeopardy as they belong to more than one disadvantaged group i.e. being women and belonging to aboriginal group. In contemporary world, there are not much of a difference between Aboriginal people and the other minority groups as they face the similar challenges such as gender discrimination, victimization, and experiences injustice towards them. Although aboriginal people are not considered as visible minorities, this population continues to struggle for their existence like any other visible minorities group. Although both aboriginal men and women are being discriminated in our society, the women tends to experience more discrimination in public and private sphere and are constantly the targeted for violence, abuse and are victimized. In addition, many of the problems and violence faced by aborigin...
Nellie Mcclung utilized her good public speaking skills to help fight for women's rights, more specifically the right for women to vote. Nellie Mcclung, along with four other significant women; Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise Crummy McKinney and Irene Parlby; started the Famous Five. Together in 1927, they petitioned the Supreme Court to have women declared “qualified persons” who were eligible for public office as senators. Nellie held a “mock parliament” with the Political Equality League addressing the issues and dangers if men were able to vote. This method was found to be very
In 1917, the Alberta Supreme Court said that women were persons. That rule however only applied within the province of Alberta so Emily Murphy put her name as a candidate for the Senate, by the federal government. But Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden turned her down because she was again not considered a person under the BNA Act. The Persons Case was the debate led by the famous 5 on whether or not women counted as persons in section 24 of The BNA Act of 1867 saying "Women are persons in matters of pains and penalties but are not persons in matters of rights and privileges." The famous 5 were a group of women
Women’s suffrage was a defining moment for Canada because women made up approximately half the Canadian population. By giving them the right to vote, it allowed Canada to be a more democratic country. Women getting the right to vote had a huge impact on the election of 1917 because women who were married to soldiers in the war could vote because of the War time Elections Act. It was also a big step for women to get involved more in the society during World War 1. In addition, the women contributed in the war effort a lot by making the products sent over seas to our soldiers, who had left their jobs to fight for their country in World War 1. This also was creating other opportunities for the women to get involved with society by taking the men’s places in the factories.
“Honey, you’re not a person, now get back in the kitchen and make me a sandwich!” If a husband were to say these words to his wife today, he would likely receive a well-deserved smack to the face. It is not until recently that Canadian women have received their status as people and obtained equal rights as men. Women were excluded from an academic education and received a lesser pay than their male counter parts. With the many hardships women had to face, women were considered the “slave of slaves” (Women’s Rights). In the past century, women have fought for their rights, transitioning women from the point of being a piece of property to “holding twenty-five percent of senior positions in Canada” (More women in top senior positions: Report). The Married Women’s Property Act, World War I, The Person’s Case, and Canadian Human Rights Act have gained Canadian women their rights.
Around 1800, a group of Shoshone Indians was leaving their home to go to the Rocky Moutains which is Idaho and Montana today. Along with the Indians was a 12 year old girl named Sacagawea. She is one of the most famous Indian women who has ever lived. Many young Native American women have heard of her and would like to make an impression as much as she has. Some people may not even know who she is but most Americans know exactly who she is. Sacagawea is a hero and will live forever in our minds.
Women had proven their significance in Canadian history through their struggles in gaining rights that provided equality. In order to improve the rights of women, the following were established: Royal Commission on the Status of Women, Pay Equity, and Employment Equity Act. The Royal Commission on the Status of Women (RCSW) was called by Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pearson on February 3rd, 1967, to investigate and report on the condition of women which was initiated immediately after an organization, which was led by a coalition of thirty-two women, who protested for equal rights. Together, the thirty two women’s groups gathered to form an alliance against the government. They threatened to “lead a women’s march on Parliament Hill” if nothing were to be done for this matter. Therefore, Prime Minister Pearson did not have any other option except to establish the RCSW in response to this campaign. The C...
Canada likes to paint an image of peace, justice and equality for all, when, in reality, the treatment of Aboriginal peoples in our country has been anything but. Laden with incomprehensible assimilation and destruction, the history of Canada is a shameful story of dismantlement of Indian rights, of blatant lies and mistrust, and of complete lack of interest in the well-being of First Nations peoples. Though some breakthroughs were made over the years, the overall arching story fits into Cardinal’s description exactly. “Clearly something must be done,” states Murray Sinclair (p. 184, 1994). And that ‘something’ he refers to is drastic change. It is evident, therefore, that Harold Cardinal’s statement is an accurate summarization of the Indigenous/non-Indigenous relationship in
The Woman Who Fell from the Sky is a creation myth that many Native Canadians follow and it shows why supporting each other is vital for achieving greatness.
People argue against each other on who is the Greatest Canadian. Some look for what they had invented which made an impact to our lives. Some look for what they cured which helped us survive. But some look for what they had done to change our society and one of those Canadians is Nellie McClung, a women’s rights activist. She lived a simple early life, full of curiosity and questions. But as she grew up, she started to find those answers. On her journey, she withstood heavy negative remarks against her, but through her actions, she made changes. In the process, she joined the "Famous Five."
Although these women did not live to cast their votes in an election, their hard work did pay off by obtaining women the right to own property and fight for custody of their children in a court of law. In this day women cannot imagine being thrown out of their homes because their husband had died or being forced to leave their children in order to escape an abusive relationship.
Kelm, Mary, and Lorna Townsend. In the days of our grandmothers: a reader in Aboriginal women's history in Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2006.