Question: Who Was the First Canadian Woman Member of Parliament?
Answer: Agnes Macphail was the first Canadian woman member of parliament. She was elected to the House of Commons in 1921, the first year in which women in Canada were allowed to run in a federal election, and the first year in which women in Canada had the vote. For 14 years Agnes Macphail was the only Canadian woman of parliament. She remained a member of parliament until she was defeated in the 1940 general federal election. Agnes Macphail later served as an MPP in the Ontario Legislative Assembly from 1943 to 1945 and from 1948 to 1951.
Agnes Macphail was a strong proponent of prison reform and founded the Elizabeth Fry Society of Canada. She also supported other issues such as disarmament, international cooperation and old age pensions.
