Happy International Women's Day!

My daughter & yours truly beside famous 5 statues in Ottawa

Today is International Women's Day. For Canadians, many remember the famous five Alberta women (Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Muir Edwards) who succeeded in making the case for women as persons, hence giving them the right to vote. 

   This was a significant step toward equality of the sexes in Canada. Today women are able to pursue their careers in whatever field they choose in Canada. In our province of Alberta today, we have a female premier Rachel Notley, and the provincial caucus consists of an equal number of women and men. Although we Canadians are far from perfect, today is a day to remember our history, be thankful for our foremothers, and celebrate what has been accomplished, as well as bring to consciousness what still needs to be addressed, such as the abuse and disappearance of aboriginal/first nations women in Canada.  

Creative Challenge 278: Every picture tells a story

The famous five statutes on Canada's Parliament Hill, Ottawa

The famous five were: Henrietta Muir Edwards-a founding member of the Victorian Order of Nurses, Nellie Mooney McClung-suffragist, author, and member of the Alberta Legislature, Louise Crummy McKinney-first woman to be elected in the Alberta Legislature, or any Legislature in Canada, or in the British Empire, Emily Murphy-first female judge in the British Empire, Irene Marryat Parlby-first female Cabinet Minister in Alberta. They initiated 'the famous persons case' and won, meaning that women were then allowed to vote when, on October 18,1929, the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council reversed Canada's Supreme Court decision. This also bolstered women's rights in Canada. Check out the other entries here.