Learn / People who shaped Canada
Emily Murphy
The first woman magistrate in the British Empire, who launched the Persons Case and also promoted eugenics.
Life story
- March 14, 1868 · Cookstown, Ontario
Born at Cookstown, Ontario - 1916 · Edmonton
Appointed police magistrate in Edmonton, the first woman in the Empire to hold such a post - 1917 · Edmonton
A lawyer challenged her authority on the ground that women were not persons in law - August 27, 1927 · Edmonton
Signed the petition with four other Alberta women asking the Supreme Court the question - October 18, 1929 · London, England
Won on appeal to the Privy Council in London - October 27, 1933 · Edmonton
Died at Edmonton