Persons Case

Not until 1929 the definition of a "person" included the females. Emily Murphy and Nellie McClung, both advocates of social reform, challenged section 24 of the British North America Act which stated that women were not considered "persons." Emily Murphy assembled a group of respected women including Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Irene Parlby, and Louise McKinney. The answer that these valiant women were looking for was whether there was a possibility that women could become Senators. Since only "persons" could contend to be a Senator, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that women were not qualified to run for Senate. Unsatisfied, the women went to London, England where they stood in front of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council asking, "Are women persons?" The committee ruled in favour of the Famous Five and on October 18th, 1929, women became people. This ruling entitled women alot of rights including the right to vote and the freedom to serve in the Senate. These women opened many doors for Canadian women as well as women all over the world.