Agnes MacPhail
Agnes Campbell Macphail was a pioneering Canadian political figure, born on March 24, 1890, in Proton Township, Ontario. She is celebrated as the first woman to be elected as a Member of Parliament in Canada, achieving this milestone in 1921 during the first federal election in which women could vote. Macphail's early life was marked by her involvement in agriculture and education; she worked on her family farm and dedicated a decade to teaching before transitioning into politics. In Parliament, she advocated for agricultural reforms that benefited the farming community, reflecting her deep-rooted understanding of their challenges.
Macphail also championed prison reform, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment, and was a strong proponent of women's rights, including the introduction of equal pay legislation. After her initial term in the House of Commons ended in 1940, she continued her political journey in the Ontario legislature, where she served until 1951. Despite never marrying or having children, Macphail left a lasting legacy as a journalist and public speaker until her death on February 13, 1954. Her commitment to social justice and advocacy for marginalized communities remains an important part of Canadian history.
Subject Terms
Agnes MacPhail
Politician
- Born: March 24, 1890
- Birthplace: Proton Township, Ontario
- Died: February 13, 1954
- Place of death: Toronto, Ontario
Contribution: Agnes Macphail is widely regarded as one of the most important female politicians in Canada. As the first woman to enter the Parliament of Canada, Macphail boldly paved the way for future female leaders to play a more active role in Canada’s political arena. During her own career, Macphail was known for her support of the agricultural needs of rural communities that she both represented and called home. In addition to her rural agenda, Macphail was an ardent supporter of other important causes, including prison reform, workers’ rights, senior citizen pensions, and gender equality.
Early Life and Teaching
Agnes Campbell Macphail was born on March 24, 1890. For most of her childhood, Macphail and her family lived in Proton Township, an agricultural region in the Ontario countryside. When she was twelve, the family moved to a farmhouse in Artemesia, Ontario, where she helped her father with the farmwork instead of doing housework with her mother, as was expected of most young girls at the time. Even as a young woman, Macphail was determined to contribute to society and refused to accept marriage or a domestic life.
After successfully passing a high school entrance exam at fourteen, Macphail set her sights on becoming a teacher, though her father did not initially approve. Eventually earning her father’s blessing, Macphail enrolled in Owen Sound Collegiate Institute and later a normal school for teachers. Upon her graduation in 1910, Macphail taught at a number of Ontario schools, including a school in a town called Kinloss, where she first became interested in a career outside of teaching. After working as a teacher for a decade, Macphail made the decision in 1920 to enter politics.
Political Career and Achievements
In the first federal election in which women had the right to vote, Macphail beat the odds and won a seat in the Canadian Parliament’s House of Commons as the representative for Grey County, Ontario. Though she faced much opposition from many of her male counterparts, Macphail stood proudly on the parliament floor and tirelessly supported her constituents. Among the most important were the farmers she had grown up with. With a deep, firsthand knowledge of the issues and challenges facing the Canadian farming community, Macphail championed various agricultural causes and served as a voice for the often-overlooked farmers. She also turned her attention to prison reform, a topic that in her time was considered a women’s issue. Macphail pushed for reforms that would transform the Canadian penal system’s focus from punishment to rehabilitation.
Macphail’s tenure as a member of parliament came to an end with an election loss in 1940. She did not remain on the political sidelines for long, however. In 1943, she became one of the first two women to win a seat in the Ontario legislature, where she served two separate terms until 1951. Near the end of her political career, Macphail once again struck a blow for women’s rights, introducing and supporting legislation aimed at establishing equal pay regulations for women. Following her final term as an elected official, Macphail continued her public life as a journalist and public speaker. She died on February 13, 1954, just before she was to receive a senatorial appointment.
Personal Life
Maintaining her commitment to politics and her devotion to her constituents, Macphail never married nor had children. She had two sisters, Gertha and Lilly.
Bibliography
Forster, Merna. 100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces. Toronto: Dundum, 2004. Print.
Gidluck, Lynn. Visionaries, Crusaders, and Firebrands: The Idealistic Canadians Who Built the NDP. Toronto: Lorimer, 2012. Print.
Grey, Deborah. “Women of the House.” Canada’s History 90.3 (2010): 43–45. Print.
“Macphail, Agnes Campbell.” Library of Parliament. Parliament of Canada, n.d. Web. 28 July 2013.
Wyatt, Rachel. Agnes Macphail: Champion of the Underdog. Montreal: XYZ, 2008. Print.