“I want to leave something behind when I go; some small legacy of truth, some word that will shine in a dark place.”—Nellie McClung
In 1917, she participated in the battle to have women declared as “persons” in Canada. She and four other Albertan women on 27 August 1927 she and Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Edwards and Irene Parlby signed the petition to the Supreme Court of Canada. The women asked, "Does the word 'person' in Section 24 of the British North America Act include female persons?"
The campaign became known as The Persons Case and on March 1928 the Supreme Court of Canada denied the women’s challenge. The five women did not give up. They took their question to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Britain. On 18 October 1929, the Privy Council unanimously declared that women were also considered as “persons” under the BNA Act.
The women were known as the Famous Five and they challenged the rules and established an important law in Canadian history. In Canada’s Senate Chamber, the five women are honoured with a plaque that reads, “To further the cause of womankind these five outstanding pioneer women caused steps to be taken resulting in the recognition by the Privy Council of women as persons eligible for appointment to the Senate of Canada." Murphy, along with the rest of the Famous Five is featured on the back of the new Canadian 50 dollar bill. In October 2009, the Senate voted to name McClung and the rest of the Five Canada's first "honorary senators." Nellie McClung also has a park in Edmonton named after her, in honor of her efforts. Her home in Manitou, Manitoba has been re-located to the Archibald Historical Museum in La Rivière, Manitoba where it has been restored. The house is open to the public. In Calgary-- “Located on the corner of 7th street and 15th avenue SW, the Nellie McClung House stands out as a premier historical home in a vibrant growing neighbourhood.”
Source (text and photos) http://www.procura.ca/2006/commercial/leasing/calgary/property_nelliemcclung.htm