Mr. Speaker, in 1929, women gained the right to own and manage property and the right to vote. However, they still could not sit in the Senate, on the ground that they were not persons.
A small group of career and intellectual women, better known now as the “Famous Five”, was formed to clarify the issue of women's eligibility to a Senate appointment.
These women took their case to the supreme court, but since that court did not rule in their favour, they went to the Privy Council of Great Britain, then the highest court of appeal for Canadians.
Today, I am proud to celebrate Persons Day, which commemorates the October 18, 1929 decision of the Privy Council of Great Britain, which ruled that women were indeed persons within the meaning of the law.
The efforts of the “Famous Five” are an example of courage, integrity and solidarity for Canadians--