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NOW THAT WE ARE PERSONSBy: Nellie McClung
Does the word "person" include women?
The Famous Five
You don't have authority to judge. Women aren't considered people.
The Famous Five
The Famous Five
Even though women had gained some rights, complete equality was not a reality. Women often found themselves cast into the role of the housewife and mistreated by their husbands. They got tired of this and started looking for a way to change it.
Woman! I told you to have supper ready when I came home!
No. The Fathers did not mean for women to be included in the word "person."
Emily Murphy was the first female judge. But lawyers constantly questioned her authority, stating that women weren't considered people under the BNA act.
Why should it not?
Does the word "person" inlude women?
In 1929, five women from Alberta got together. They became the Famous five. It included Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, and Irene Parlby. They were determined to change womens rights.
In 1927, they asked the Supreme Court of Canada to consider whether women were included in the word "person" as used in the BNA Act. The Supreme court ruled against them.
When Prime Minister King helped them bring the question before the British Privy Council in 1928, the 'obvious' answer was "why should it not?"
The Famous Five set the path for women to be more involved in public life. Women finally gained the right to vote in all provinces and the movement for women's rights became stronger.

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