As I sit in a coffee shop in
Vancouver, I write to take note that today is Persons
Day in Canada. On this date (18 October) in 1929 the Privy Council declared
that the word “persons” in Section 24 of the British North American Act (1867)
includes females. The Act was the constitution of the country at the time and the
ruling set the stage for gender equality in Canada and the subsequent expansion
of rights to indigenous and minority communities. The five women who petitioned
the Privy Council for the ruling adorn the $50 bill in Canada today.
No comments:
Post a Comment