Through recognizing and sharing the success stories of today’s female leaders, our Leadership Programs inspire and cultivate acts of courage in others.
F5 MAQUETTE trailblazers TOUR OF ALBERTA
The Famous 5 Maquette is touring alberta - returning to the province where they made history, and inspiring the next generation of trailblazers!
The F5 Maquette Alberta Trailblazers Tour will introduce Albertans to these provincial heroes, and inspire the next generation of trailblazers to be leaders and nation builders! Bring others with you to learn more about the Famous 5, discuss equality issues in your community and find inspiration in the stories of these remarkable achievers!
This tour is made possible with the support of the Government of Alberta, Dept. of Arts, Culture & Status of Women and the Werklund Foundation.
Photo: Famous 5 Foundation CoFounder Frances Wright (left), Youth Presenter Amlika Nair (centre), and Mayor Tanya Thorn (right), cut a ribbon to launch the Famous 5 Foundation’s “Women Are Persons!” exhibit at the Okotoks Municipal Centre on March 7, 2025. Robert Korotyszyn/WesternWheel
Next stop: Claresholm Public Library and the Claresholm Museum, June/July, 2025
We are also looking for additional funders! Please contact us HERE.
Being with the Famous 5 Maquette will propel conversations about controversial matters – women’s leadership and our contributions to the building of Canada, racism, eugenics, immigration, politics, equal pay, etc., – and hopefully these discussions will lead to greater understanding and appreciation of our country and perhaps even to solutions. Learning more about the F5 will be an inspiring experience – as more women and girls become leaders, become nation builders – and it can be thanks to your leadership and generosity!
The F5 Maquette is a miniature of the F5F’s Women are Persons! Monuments in Calgary and in front of the Senate of Canada in Ottawa. They were designed by Barbara Paterson and created by Bronzart Foundry. The maquette bronzes stand approximately 18” high on an oak table (6 ft. long x 4.5 ft. wide and 3.5 ft high) and toured provincial and federal legislatures from 1998 and 2002.
The Maquette Tour
Two pop-up banners briefly explain (in both English and French) the achievements of the F5 and raise questions about some of the F5 beliefs and perhaps some of ours which don’t/won’t withstand the test of time.
Collectively, Canada’s democratic champions’ major achievements include securing the rights for most Canadian women to vote, to run for elected office and to serve as Senators, the latter occurring because the word ‘persons’ was revised to include both women and men throughout the British Empire.
Individually they are also responsible for provincial and federal legislation including the Dower Rights, Mothers Allowances, Minimum Wage for Women Workers, etc., as well as the establishment of libraries, distance education and travelling medical clinics.
However, like most Canadians 100+ years ago, the F5 believed and advocated for ideas that more information and experience have caused us to discard. They didn’t know then what we know now and hopefully, if they did, their views would be different. Paraphrasing our new Governor General, we have an opportunity to be ‘the bridge between the tensions of the past and the promise of the future’.
Clearly, there is much we can learn from the F5 which will benefit us as we assess what has happened and how we want Canada to flourish!
Please contact Frances Wright at admin@famous5.ca if you are able to be a funder or have suggestions! Miigwetch! Merci! Thank you!
say her name!
The F5F discretely coaches individuals and organizations to nominate women for a variety of awards and also approaches individuals and organizations to nominate women. Contact us if you know of a remarkable female or female identifying Canadian who deserves to be recognized for their achievements!
VIRTUAL PINK TEAS
When the Famous 5 were campaigning for women to have the right to vote and run for elected office, their suffrage meetings were often disrupted by their opponents. Women traditionally held teas for the birth of children, when someone left the community or other reasons. Men didn’t attend these teas so suffragists started calling their political meetings Pink Teas and very few opponents attended.
Beginning in 2020, the F5F proudly continued the history and tradition of Pink Teas by moving the conversation online! This program is currently on hold, as the Foundation plans more in-person events. The full archive of past presentations can be found on our website and are free for all to view. Remarkable female Canadian leaders have shared their insight and experience on a variety of topics, with a goal of helping today’s and tomorrow’s female leaders: “To feel equal to high and splendid braveries!”