The Famous Five Statue

Title: The Famous Five
Location: Manitoba Legislature (west grounds)
Unveiled: June 18, 2010
Artist: Helen Granger Young

Background

Nellie McClung lived in Manitoba for nearly 35 years and began her campaign to get Manitoba women the vote in 1912. In 1916 Manitoba became the first province to grant women this right.

The 'Famous Five', McClung along with Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie, Louise McKinney and Irene Parlby, made their mark a decade later when they asked the Supreme Court to define what "persons" were under the BNA Act. The definition to that point meant 'males' which kept women from voting or holding public office. In the end, they won their appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and on October 18, 1929 the definition of persons was changed to include both men and women.

In 2003 the Nellie McClung Foundation was created through a private member's bill to educate the public about the work of the Famous Five and women's issues in general. The starting off point was the creation of a public monument.

This is not the first statue to the Five. There is one in Calgary's Olympic Park and another on Parliament Hill, the latter is the only one on the grounds not dedicated to a federally elected representative.

"Never retract, never explain, never apologize - get things done and let them howl."
Nellie McClung (1873-1951)

Related:
The Famous Five Foundation
Nellie McClung Foundation
The Famous Five Library and Archives Canada website
Women Win the Vote Manitobia.ca

Media:
Nellie McClung statue unveiled in MB CBC.ca
Famous Five named honourary senators
The Persons Case, An Endearing Symbol Journal of Heritage Stewardship
Honour McClung Winnipeg Real Estate News