October 18 is Persons Day in Canada

It marks the day in 1929 when the historic decision to include women in the legal definition of “persons” was handed down by Canada’s highest court of appeal. This gave some women the right to be appointed to the Senate of Canada and paved the way for women's increased participation in public and political life. Though this decision did not include all women, such as

Indigenous women and women of Asian heritage and descent, it did mark critical progress in the advancement of gender equality in Canada.

In 1927, five women who have since become known as the Famous Five launched a legal challenge that would mark a turning point for equality rights in Canada. Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Muir Edwards were journalists, politicians, reformers and activists from Alberta who asked the Supreme Court of Canada to answer the following question: does the word “person” in Section 24 of the BNA Act include female persons? After five weeks of debate, the Supreme Court decided that the word “person” did not include women. Although shocked by the Court’s decision, the Famous Five did not give up the fight and took their case to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of Great Britain in London, which was then Canada’s highest court of appeal.  On October 18, 1929, the Privy Council ruled that women are persons under the law.

On Persons Day, we honour the bravery and determination of the Famous Five whose landmark case helped pave the way for women to participate equally in all aspects of life in Canada. We also honour all those whose work in the years since then has expanded and strengthened those rights.

In 2024, Ontario’s Bill 211 An Act to Proclaim Person’s Day received Royal Assent. Marking October 18 as Persons Day aims to inspire more girls, women and gender-diverse people to be nation builders, and to expand the circle of leaders so that everyone can contribute to building their communities and their country, and benefit from being a Canadian.