Emily Murphy, First President, FWIC

When I find a well written article of interest, I feel I shoulduse it, with credit to the writer. The following article on Emily Murphy is oneof them.  Ruth Fenner

Emily Ferguson was born into a well-to-do family in Cookstown, Ontario in 1868. Both of her grandfathers were active politically, one having founded the Orange Lodge in Ontario, while the other had persuaded the young lawyer, John A. MacDonald to enter politics. Her father too, was a remarkable man who believed  that his sons and daughters should share equally in household chores and responsibilities.  Here was the beginning of Emily's passionate  belief in equality for women.

In 1887, Emily married Arthur Murphy, an Anglican clergyman.They lived for the first ten years of their marriage in western Ontario wherethree daughters were born.

On a visit to England in 1898 with her husband who was on apreaching mission, she came in contact with many poor, destitute and despairingmen and women. This experience had a lasting influence which led, later in herlife to her pressing for good legislation and social reform.

When ill health forced her husband's retirement from theministry, they moved to Swan River, Manitoba and Emily began reviewing booksand writing under the pen name “Janey Canuck”. As an author she achieved wideacclaim and her books sold quickly.

After four years in Manitoba, the Murphy's moved to  Edmonton where in 1916 she was appointed thefirst woman magistrate not only in Canada, but in the British Empire. Thisposition sharpened her awareness of the potential power for social reform heldby women's organizations.

At the inaugural meeting in Winnipeg in 1919, Emily Murphy was unanimously elected the first President of the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada, the newly formed national organization of rural women.

Judge Emily Murphy was the initiator of the of the famous seriesof legal actions which became celebrated as the “Persons Case.” In this, shewas joined by four other women from Alberta and they became known as the “fivepersons from Alberta.” The action was fought through courts in Canada andBritain until its successful outcome in 1929 when women were declared“persons”. This case was a landmark in the annals of women's struggle forequality. Amongst other things it means women could be summoned to the Senate,a reform for which the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada had been pressingsince its beginnings.

In 1933, she was made a Life Member of FWIC,, an honour shecherished among the many already conferred on her. King George V hadacknowledged her achievements by investing her with the Order of St. George ofJerusalem.

Her contribution to social reform and her ceaseless efforts toimprove the lot of women were recognized by the National Historic Sites andMonuments Board when in 1960 she was named “a person of national historicimportance.”

On April 17, 1985 the Canadian Government issued special stampsto celebrate the coming into effect of Section 15 of the Charter of Rights andFreedoms which guarantee equality of Rights for Women. Emily Murphy was one ofthe two women activists selected for commemoration on these stamps.

Jenny Morgan, Tweedsmuir History Curator

This article first appeared in the January/February/March 1986issue of The Federated News.