Opinion: International Women’s Day and the Famous 5’s Protégé – You!

Article by: Frances Wright

Even before International Women’s Day was established in 1911 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Canadian women were advocating for change and achieving early breakthroughs in women’s rights.

One of the earliest steps toward equality for Canadian women concerned married women’s property rights.

In 1911, thanks to the leadership of two members of the Famous 5 — Emily Murphy and Henrietta Muir Edwards — the Liberal Government of Alberta passed the Married Women’s Protection Act. This enabled wives to receive one-third of a husband’s estate upon his death, no matter what his will said. However, that did not address the disposition of matrimonial property assets if a husband was alive and things went awry.

In 1915, the act was amended giving a wife the right to file a caveat to prevent the sale or mortgage of her home without her knowledge or consent. Finally in 1916, the Dower Act stated that the sale or transfer of the ownership of land, made without the wife’s written consent, was null and void.

Years before that, in the mid-1880s, the campaign for women to have the right to vote and stand for elected office was born. All of the Famous 5 provided superb leadership in this regard. Nellie McClung was also recruited by American suffragists to speak on the topic throughout the United States.

The first act of suffrage happened with Liberal governments in 1916 at the provincial level in Manitoba, followed by Saskatchewan and Alberta, giving white European women the vote. Suffrage on the federal level was led by Conservative Prime Minister Robert Borden and began with enfranchising female relatives of soldiers, as well as nursing sisters working in the Second World War, in 1917. In 1918, all white European women were granted federal franchise. Asian and Indo-Canadians were finally included in 1948, but Indigenous Canadians were only enfranchised in 1960.

Other improvement happened, too, in terms of women being able to attend universities and colleges, enter and practice professions, have bank accounts and achieve many other equalities. Alberta can also take credit for the Famous 5’s international achievement, the Persons Case — a constitutional ruling in 1929 that allowed women to be appointed to the Senate. Incidentally, many of these changes were all made possible by male legislators, so thanks, guys!

Surprisingly, all of these and other advances were achieved without computers, faxes, scanners, phones, social media, cars, planes and other modern conveniences.

We Alberta women have historically been leaders for women’s rights and are now are the healthiest, wealthiest, best educated, most extensively travelled and tech-owning group of women in Canada.

So, what can we accomplish now, to improve women’s rights in areas of mental health, domestic violence, equal pay and other opportunities?

Currently, women earn 87 cents for every dollar a man earns with the same skills and responsibilities. As well, Alberta has the lowest number of women in senior management, on boards or in politics, but we have one of the highest rates of domestic abuse in Canada.

It’s time to pick up the torch! Sorry — pick up your phone! Use your computer, your social media platforms and your devices to significantly improve the lives of other women so that families thrive, businesses flourish and communities succeed.

It’s your turn! Happy International Women’s Day.

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/opinion-international-womens-day-and-the-famous-5s-protege-you

Co-founder of The Famous 5 Frances Wright received the Alberta Order of Excellence

Article: The Alberta Order of Excellence

Frances Wright is a tireless ambassador for grass-roots social justice and nation building. She approaches each new challenge with a contagious passion for strengthening democracy and a determination to bring a voice to those not often heard.

“One of the successes of the Famous 5 Foundation is that it has energized Canadians about our history. It has helped us realize that when we make major strides in terms of social justice, those strides affect not only us, but also other countries. As a result, people look at Canada as a beacon. That’s why we have to be stronger and more progressive and kinder and serve as an example for the rest of the world.”

Frances Elizabeth Wright was born in East London, South Africa. Her mother, a Canadian, wanted to return to Canada, so in 1953 when Frances was six, the family left South Africa under the guise of vacationing in England. But when South African authorities learned the truth, the family’s assets were frozen and turned over to the state to discourage other white families from leaving. After first visiting the Niagara region, and then Regina, the family ultimately chose Calgary. All the while, Frances’ parents taught their children the importance of being good citizens and good neighbours.

Frances remembers kids in school calling her a “DP” — displaced person, immigrant, not a true Canadian. As a result, she learned quickly how to fit in, including adopting a Canadian accent. The experience convinced Frances to be grateful to Canada and to assume her responsibility to help make it better for others.

After attending the University of Calgary for her Bachelor of Arts and Carleton University for a Bachelor of Journalism (with honours), Frances tried her hand at various careers, including journalist, stockbroker, communications consultant and entrepreneur. Along with her husband Richard Pootmans, she owned and operated six successful PORTS International clothing stores for 10 years.

In 1996, Frances and friends established the Famous 5 Foundation (F5F), an organization that drove a movement to finally recognize the five democratic champions from Alberta who worked tirelessly to ensure that women were enfranchised and legally recognized as persons.

Frances and the F5F launched a number of projects to raise awareness about the Famous 5 and the role they played in building Canada. In tribute to the 70th Anniversary of the ‘Persons’ Case, F5F installed larger-than-life bronze monuments — called Women Are Persons! — in Olympic Plaza in Calgary on October 18, 1999, and on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on October 18, 2000. Together, the monuments are the largest art installation in Canada.

Recognizing that most Canadians knew little about the Famous 5’s role in Canadian history, F5F also partnered with the Girl Guides of Canada to promote the 70th Anniversary of the ‘Persons’ Case. In each provincial legislature, Girl Guides spoke in front of the Speaker of the House, the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, and other dignitaries and guests, raising awareness among lawmakers and the public alike.

Frances persuaded Canada Post to create a Famous 5 stamp and the Bank of Canada to issue a $50 banknote featuring the Famous 5, making it the first time identifiable Canadian women would appear on Canadian banknotes. To celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the ‘Persons’ Case, she convinced the Senate of Canada to declare the Famous 5 as Honourary Senators, the first and only time such a declaration has been made. More than two decades after it was established, the F5F’s mandate remains to educate, advocate and celebrate women’s successes, and to inspire Canadian youth to become nation builders.

Later, Frances found herself remembering a request made at the launch of the F5F and comments she’d heard during the partnership with the Girl Guides. Fathers who’d heard their daughters speak eloquently in the legislatures observed that the anthem they’d sung together did not include their daughters. It did not encourage the girls to be nation builders, to be politicians, to be citizens engaged in helping to make their nation better. Why? Because of these lyrics: “True patriot love, in all thy sons command.”

Ever the feminist, Frances’ commitment to Canadian values led her to another successful campaign: to restore O Canada to its original inclusive lyrics. Written in the early 1900s, the initial O Canada lyrics were, "True patriot love, thou dost in us command,” but they were changed to encourage military recruitment with the advent of World War I. It took 22 years of negotiation, advocacy and patience, but Frances and a team of supporters succeeded on January 31, 2018. Thanks to her leadership, Canada’s girls and women are now included in the national anthem as we sing, “True patriot love in all of us command.”

“We just changed two little words,” says Frances. “I think it heralds a whole new era of men and women building Canada together.”

The F5F and the anthem debate reveal the depth of Frances’ commitment to a cause. Knowing that many factors contribute to building healthy, equal and just communities, she has dedicated her time and talents to more than 25 boards and committees over the past four decades, all focused on building community through everything from health to politics, business and advancing the role of women. Just a few of those organizations include the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, Equal Voice Alberta South, the Mount Royal Village Merchants Association and the International Women’s Forum Calgary.

Most recently, Frances has been moved to act by a startling statistic: at least one in six men has been sexually assaulted before the age of 18 and there are only three dedicated treatment centres in Canada. In response, Frances launched the Canadian Centre for Male Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse in 2012. The centre’s vision is to create a world-class treatment centre in Calgary to address the complex issues faced by abused, traumatized men who have been underserved and stigmatized in society.

Frances believes the most important messages for these men to hear are that they are not alone, they will be believed and healing is possible.

Given her profound achievements and life-long dedication to community service, Frances is the grateful recipient of a number of awards, including the Governor General’s Award for the Commemoration of the Persons Case and the Rotary Integrity Award, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, and the Alberta Centennial Medal. She has been recognized by the Women’s Executive Network as one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women, and in 2014, the University of Calgary bestowed her with an Honourary Doctor of Laws degree.

Frances maintains that any success she has had relies directly on people who have joined her in working together to make a difference, including her wonderful family and friends. “The word ‘Frances’ no longer means just ‘Frances.’ It means ‘Frances and friends,’” she laughs.

“I've wanted to show my gratitude to Canada for letting us live in Calgary and to do what we wanted to do. It’s important, though, that we not think only about ourselves. We must consider the bigger issues. And we must particularly be aware of those who don't have a voice or who can't speak freely. We need to move their agendas forward, too.”

Frances has said, “I want to build a better nation.” Armed with her tenacity, her leadership, her commitment to social justice and a contact list decades in the making, she has inspired a new generation of trailblazers and courageous leaders who are working toward a more equal society — together. Like the Famous 5 pledge, she has “felt equal to high and splendid braveries!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr3GT8qB5s4&feature=youtu.be

Important Women's Monument Moved

[ July 20, 2019] -- Shortly after Canada Day an important monument moved to a more prominent place near Parliament Hill.  Installed in 2000, 'We Are Persons!' relocated from the Senate-side of the Centre Block to the temporary Senate building due to renovations of the Centre Block. Tourists and passers-by can now interact with the monument on the Plaza Bridge across from the Fairmont Chateau Laurier.

Famous Five monument. Ottawa, ON.

This monument is a tribute to the Famous 5: Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy, and Henrietta Muir Edwards, democratic champions from Alberta. The Famous 5 Foundation hired sculptor Barbara Paterson of Edmonton to create the monuments for both Parliament Hill and for the Olympic Plaza in Calgary. The back of the $50 bill featured this sculpture for the 70th anniversary of the ‘Persons’ Case,

When the Supreme Court of Canada ruled women could not be appointed to our Senate because they were not ‘qualified persons’, the Famous 5 persuaded the Government of Canada to appeal this dreadful decision to the highest court in the British Empire at that time. On October 18, 1929, the Privy Council reversed this decision and currently 54 of the 105 Senators are female.

 On October 18, Canada celebrates the 90th Anniversary of this remarkable event. Please visit famous5.ca for events and how to organize your own Pink Tea in commemoration. Pink Teas developed as a subversive way for women to gather and discuss various issues of importance, including suffrage. 

Big Shoes Left Behind - We Found The Perfect Fit

The Famous 5 Foundation is excited to announce some changes to our board of directors. After 8 years of amazing leadership and dedication, Shauna Frederick will be stepping down as Chair of the Board. Shauna became a volunteer with the Famous 5 in October 2010 and became Chair of the Board in May 2016. Her passion for empowering Canadian women has played an important role in developing various leadership programs for young girls across the country and her avid commitment to sharing the legacy of the Famous Five has been instrumental in making the Foundation successful. 

With Shauna’s term as Chair ending, Gabriela Wilson will be assuming the position of Chair. Gabriela has volunteered with the foundation for over a year and is extremely passionate about promoting strong leadership in women. As a professional engineer, she knows first-hand the challenges of working in a male-dominated profession and hopes to continue the legacy of strong leadership programs for young girls and sharing the story of the Famous Five.

Connect With Shauna

Connect With Gabriela

'Timing was everything': 100 years since first women elected to Alberta legislature

Calgary Herald - A far-flung Canadian province became the envy of suffragettes across the British Empire when two women were elected to the Alberta legislature on June 7, 1917. Louise McKinney and Roberta MacAdams won a long-sought-after victory while their counterparts from England to New Zealand celebrated the triumph, certain they were next. 

Bill Brooks: Toasting the Taste of Famous 5

Calgary Herald - The third annual Famous 5 Fundraiser-A Taste of Famous 5- was held Oct 27 at Hotel Arts and was again a sold-out affair with more than 300 guests in attendance. Click to read the full coverage from Calgary social journalist Bill Brooks.