In 1992, the Federal Government of Canada declared the month of October as Canadian Women's History Month in response to
a letter-writing campaign led by a Victoria, BC woman, Lyn Gough. October was chosen because it is the month in which
Canadian women officially became persons in law, eligible for appointment to the Canadian Senate.

It is hoped that by having one month of the year devoted to women's history, we can discover the women who helped shape our
nation, women such as Nellie McClung, who was involved in TWO major constitutional changes - women's suffrage and the
campaign to have women declared persons. The Person's Case, as it is known, involved four other women, all living in Alberta at
that time.

Led by Emily Murphy, the first woman in the British Comonwealth to be appointed a magistrate, Nellie McClung, Louise
McKinney, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Edwards, challenged the Supreme Court of Canada to assert that women were persons.
The women lost. They then appealed to the British Privy Council. The Council described the exclusion of women as "a relic of
days more barbarous than ours" and overturned the Canadian decision. On October 18, 1929, Canadian women became persons
at last!
 

Website information compiled by Canadian Women's History Month Committee. Technical assistance by Victoria
Telecommunity Network volunteer.