The Canada Atlas

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Bertha Wilson

First woman on the Supreme Court · 1923-2007

Told she should go home and take up crocheting; wrote the opinion that struck down the abortion law.

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Life story

  1. September 18, 1923 · Scotland
    Born at Kirkcaldy in Fife
  2. 1949 · Halifax
    Emigrated to Nova Scotia as a minister's wife and entered Dalhousie law school at 31
  3. 1975 · Toronto
    Appointed the first woman on the Ontario Court of Appeal
  4. March 4, 1982 · Ottawa
    Became the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada
  5. January 28, 1988 · Ottawa
    Wrote in Morgentaler that the abortion law violated a woman's liberty, not only her security
  6. April 28, 2007 · Ottawa
    Died in Ottawa

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Sources