The Famous Five (Canada)

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The Famous Five were five Canadian women who fought for women’s rights in the early 1900s: Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, and Henrietta Muir Edwards. They were some of Canada’s most important suffragists and activists for women and children.

In 1927, the Five asked the federal government to put a question to the Supreme Court: should the word “Persons” in Canada’s 1867 law include women, so that women could be appointed to the Senate? This led to the famous “Persons Case.”

In 1928 the Supreme Court ruled that women were not “qualified persons” under the law. The Five appealed to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, then the highest court in the British Empire. On October 18, 1929, the Privy Council overturned the Supreme Court and decided that women are indeed “persons” and eligible to sit in the Senate. This decision helped change how Canada interpreted its Constitution and is often connected with the idea of a flexible, living constitution.

Although the Five did not become senators themselves, the ruling opened the door for women to hold political office. Cairine Wilson became Canada’s first female senator soon after. The case is seen as a major milestone in the first wave of feminism in Canada.

More about the women:
- Emily Murphy was the first woman judge in the British Empire and later became a prominent writer and advocate for women’s rights.
- Nellie McClung was a teacher, author, and outspoken activist who campaigned for women’s votes and public life rights; she also served in public office.
- Louise McKinney was one of the first women elected to a legislature in the British Empire and was a leader in temperance and social reform.
- Irene Parlby was Alberta’s cabinet minister and a strong supporter of women’s involvement in government and social causes.
- Henrietta Edwards worked with the National Council of Women and focused on law, property rights, and social reform.

The Famous Five have been honored with plaques, statues, and other commemorations across Canada. In 1996 a foundation was created in their name to celebrate their legacy. They are also remembered in art and currency history, including a famous sculpture on Parliament Hill and mentions on past Canadian banknotes.

The Famous Five’s work showed that women could contribute to national leadership and helped start lasting progress toward gender equality in Canada.