O-9944
•
plaque (commemorative)
•
Agnes MacPhail

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plaque (commemorative)

Specifications

Date	1990/03/24
Inscriptions	AGNES MACPHAIL Agnes Macphail, born March 24, 1890 is Proton Township, Ontario, became the first woman elected to the House of Commons. She occupied this office as MP for Grey South East and Grey-Bruce from 1921-40. Née le 24 mars 1890 dans le comté de Proton en Ontario, Agnes Macphail fut la première femme élue à la Chambre des communes. Elle fut deputée des circonscriptions de Grey South East et de Grey-Bruce de 1921 à 1940. Presented on the 100th anniversary of her birth by Audrey McLaughlin, M.P., Leader New Democratic Party. Présentée par la chef du nouveau Parti démocratique, Audrey McLaughlin, à l’occasion du 100e anniversaire de naissance de madame Macphail.
Materials	wood, unidentified • metal, brass
Personal Names	Agnes Campbell Macphail • New Democratic Party
Dimensions (cm)	33.0 (Width) • 25.2 (Height) • 2.3 (Thickness)
Functions	Documentary artifact
Barcode	606001

Agnes Campbell Macphail

Agnes Macphail was born in Grey County, Ontario, in 1890. She left the family farm to pursue an education, qualifying as a teacher in 1910. She held rural teaching posts in Ontario and Alberta and got involved in the agricultural cooperative movement. In 1921, Macphail became the first woman elected to the House of Commons, representing the riding of Grey Southeast, and then Grey-Bruce, until 1940. She eventually associated with the “Ginger Group” of MPs, who broke ranks with their Progressive Party colleagues, and, in 1932, helped found the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, a forerunner to the New Democratic Party. Years later, as a member of the CCF in Ontario, she represented the riding of York East in the provincial legislature. A pacifist, feminist, and advocate for prison reform, Macphail established Toronto’s chapter of the Elizabeth Fry Society and championed Ontario’s first equal pay legislation, which passed in 1951. She died in Toronto in 1954.

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