Women only became “people” under law in Canada in October 18, 1929 and we have to thank the Famous Five and their supporters for that. (Judge Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise Crummy McKinney and Irene Parlby.)

Before then, women were legally excluded from appointment to the Senate, being defined (or rather excluded) as non-persons under the British North America Act.

It was the one point under which the exclusion of women from so many positions/jobs/activities could be legally challenged. And when the BNA was upheld in Canada (Edwards v Canada, the Persons Case 1928), the women appealed the decision to the British Privy Council, which overturned the 1928 ruling and declared women to be “persons” under law.