C054523

Person Case

  • Emily Murphy's first day as a Magistrate

    Emily Murphy's first day as a Magistrate

    Emily Murphy was appointed police magistrate for Edmonton, the first woman magistrate in the British Empire. Instead of being welcomed by the Bar, during her first day on the Bench she was told by a lawyer that she had no right to be there because she was not, by legal definition a person.
    About the picture: This is an image of Emily Murphy wearing her office uniform
  • Formation of the Famous Five

    Formation of the Famous Five

    The five women ( Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards), who became known as the Famous Five, sent a petition to the Governor General of Canada to be recognized as persons.
    The picture: A statue honouring the contributions of the Famous 5 (Nellie McClung Henrietta Muir Edwards Irene Parlby Louise McKinney and Emily Murphy). This statute is currently located on Parliament Hill.
  • Supreme Court ruling on the Persons Case

    Supreme Court ruling on the Persons Case

    Justice Robert Smith ruled unanimously that women were not “persons” under Section 24 of the BNA Act and were therefore ineligible for appointment to the Senate. The Supreme Court's decision was based on the premise that the BNA Act had to be interpreted the same way in 1928 as in 1867, when the Act was passed.
    This is a image of a Stamp that has Emily Murphy's face.
  • British Privy Council ruling on the Person's case

    British Privy Council ruling on the Person's case

    After much deliberation, the Privy Council reversed the decision of the Supreme Court .It concluded the word "Persons" in sec.24 does include women , and that women are eligible to be summoned to and become members of the Senate of Canada.
    The picture: this is the article about the famous five.
  • Carine Wilson's appointment to the Senate

    Carine Wilson's appointment to the Senate

    Carine Wilson was appointed the first female Senator of the country at the age of 45 and the government of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King; this was just four months after the Persons Case judgment was handed down by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
    The picture shows the swearing in of Canada's first female Senator Carine Wilson.