Nellie McClung

Most people know of Nellie McClung from the historical vignette that showed her mocking men's right to vote. However she fought many battles that aren't as well known.

Her career began as a school teacher in rural Manitoba at the age of 16. Her future mother-inlaw encouraged her to become involved with the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the fight for 'Universal Franchise', or the right of all adult citizens to vote. Nellie married Robert Wesley McClung in 1896, became a published author in 1902 and in 1911 the McClungs moved their family to Winnipeg.

Once in the city, Nellie also became involved with the Political Equality League and the Canadian Women's Press Club. She fought to improve women's working conditions and is known to have led Premier Rodmond Roblin through the city's sweatshops to prove her point.

It was in 1914 that the famous Mock Parliament was held in Winnipeg's Walker Theatre, mocking the idea of men having the vote in a society controlled by women.

Although the McClungs left Manitoba in 1914, moving to Edmonton, Nellie is still credited as being a large part of the reason that Manitoba women won the right to vote in 1916. It was no coincidence that women in Alberta also won the same right later that year. She simply continued the fight there.

In her life, Nellie McClung was many things besides a wife and mother. She was elected to the Alberta Legislature (1921-1925), a widely published author, a delegate to the League of Nations (1938) and the first woman appointed to the board of CBC governers (1936-1942).

Nellie is also one of the women now known as "The Famous Five". Along with Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, and Henrietta Edwards, she fought to have Canadian women recognized legally as 'persons' in a fight that went all the way to the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council. Upon their victory in 1929 Canadian women were legally entitled to sit in the Canadian Senate.

She and her colleagues forever changed the way that women of all background lived, not just in Manitoba or Alberta but all over Canada.

References:
www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/mcclung_nl.shtml
www.mta.ca/about_canada/study_guide/famous_women/nellie_mcclung.html
Photo: Manitoba Archives