Five Alberta women once asked the Supreme Court of Canada a simple question about whether women counted as persons under the law. The answer they eventually won in 1929 changed Canadian public life.
Many older Calgarians grew up in the decades that followed, watching doors open one at a time. Women's History Month Canada gives families a reason to talk about those changes together, with support from Senior Helpers Calgary West when needed.
The Famous Five and Their Alberta Roots
Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, and Henrietta Muir Edwards are known together as the Famous Five, and all of them lived in Alberta.
Their petition led to the Persons Case. On October 18, 1929, Britain's Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ruled that women were persons and could be appointed to the Senate.
The Canadian Encyclopedia's entry on the Persons Case lays out how the case unfolded.
Calgary has its own monument to the five. The Bronze Women Are Persons! The monument stood in Olympic Plaza from 1999 until late 2024. The City of Calgary placed the sculpture in storage during construction nearby, and a new home for it hasn't been announced.
Firsts That Came Later
Other firsts came on either side of the ruling. These women reached important milestones in Canadian public life:
- Agnes Macphail: Became the first woman elected to the House of Commons in 1921.
- Bertha Wilson: Joined the Supreme Court of Canada in 1982 as its first woman justice.
- Roberta Bondar: Flew aboard the space shuttle in 1992.
- Kim Campbell: Became prime minister in 1993.
- Viola Desmond: In 1946, she refused to leave the whites-only section of a Nova Scotia movie theatre and was arrested. Decades later, her face appeared on the ten-dollar bill.
These milestones show how Women's History Month Canada can highlight the women who broke barriers in politics, law, and other areas of public life.
The History Your Family Lived Through
Some of the best history sits at the kitchen table. Older women may remember changes in work, education, family life, and women's rights that never made it into a textbook.
Ask about her first vote. You might also ask what jobs were considered acceptable for girls when she finished school and which rules she watched fall away. Stories about sisters, coworkers, teachers, and other people in her life can also help preserve family history.
Families can also browse Women and Gender Equality Canada's Women's History Month page, which features Canadian women and their contributions. Grandchildren who want to connect family stories to the wider record will find plenty there.
Ways to Celebrate Women's History Month in Calgary
Families can use simple activities to preserve stories and learn more about Canadian women's history. Write names and dates on the backs of old photos while someone still remembers them. Record an older loved one describing her working life on a phone, even for ten minutes.
Save recordings alongside scans of report cards, pay stubs, certificates, or other family records. Families can also visit a library or borrow books about women such as Nellie McClung.
For older adults who have trouble getting out, support from a companion can make these activities easier. A parent who tires quickly may benefit from help with transportation, daily routines, or other practical needs.
Celebrating Calgary Women With Senior Helpers, Calgary West
The women who shaped this country include famous names and the neighbours who raised families. Women's History Month Canada also gives us a chance to remember those who ran farms and taught classrooms across Calgary.
Senior Helpers Calgary West offers companionship, transportation, and help with daily routines so older adults can stay connected to the people and stories they love. If your family would like support at home, contact us, and we can talk about what would be best.