• Français
  • Home
  • News
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
Dictionary of Canadian Biography
  •  Browse
  •  Advanced Search
  •  Reader Mode
  •  Printer-friendly
mobile
    • Outline
    facebook sharing button Share
    twitter sharing button Tweet
    • New Biographies
    • Minor Corrections
    • Biography of the Day
      See previous
    • Themes, Essays, and Guides
      • The War of 1812
      • The First World War
      • Confederation
      • Women in the DCB/DBC
      • See complete list
    facebook sharing button Share
    twitter sharing button Tweet

Persons case

In 1927 four women from Alberta joined the fight led by Emily Murphy for the appointment of women to Canada’s Senate. They asked whether the term “qualified persons,” in the section of the British North America Act dealing with appointment, included women. The following year the Supreme Court of Canada declared that women were not persons and hence not eligible for appointment, but in October 1929 the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ruled favourably on the appeal of the Famous Five, as Murphy and the others became known.

Related Biographies

ANGLIN, FRANCIS ALEXANDER
LAMONT, JOHN HENDERSON
MOONEY, HELEN LETITIA (McCLUNG)
MUIR, HENRIETTA LOUISE (Edwards)
ROWELL, NEWTON WESLEY
SAINT-JEAN, IDOLA (baptized Marie-Yvonne-Rose-Idola)

Other Resources

ARCHIVED - Are Women Persons? The "Persons" Case - The Archivist - Publications - Library and Archives Canada. Content archived on 1 Dec. 2019
CBC Archives
CanLII Connects - "The Persons Case" SCC decision appealed to the Privy Council
Canada A Country by Consent: The Roaring Twenties:The Persons Case 1929
Edwards v Canada (AG) - Wikipedia
Law: The "Persons" Case
Parks Canada - Persons Case National Historic Event
Persons Case - Parli.
Persons Case - The Canadian Encyclopedia. Content archived on 12 Nov. 2024
The History of the Persons Case - Persons Day - Status of Women Canada
The Person Behind the Persons Case - Canada's History
The Persons Case, 1929 | Library and Archives Canada Blog
The Persons Case: A Milestone for Canadian Women. Content archived on 11 Apr. 2024
University of Alberta Faculty of Law Blog: The Persons Case
Why the Persons Case Matters
Women. Are persons. - Videos - Status of Women Canada

Image Gallery

We acknowledge the financial support of the Canadian Museum of History through the Online Works of Reference Program funded by the Government of Canada.
Nous reconnaissons l'aide financière du Musée canadien de l'histoire à travers les œuvres du programme de référence en ligne financés par le gouvernement du Canada.

We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada.


Nous reconnaissons l’appui du gouvernement du Canada.

© 2003-2025 University of Toronto/Université Laval

Suggest corrections or additions

Important Notices

Websites of Interest

 
OK Cancel
OK