OCTOBER IS WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH Parliamentary Trailblazers in British Columbia This handout highlights women from British Columbia who achieved significant ‘firsts’ for women in Parliament. Their achievements would not have been possible without the success of the women’s suffrage movement. Between 1891 and 1914, 16 women’s suffrage bills were introduced and defeated in British Columbia’s Did You Know? Legislative Assembly. In 1916, Premier William Bowser The term suffrage means the decided to hold a referendum on the issue in conjunction with the provincial general election. The referendum results right to vote in parliamentary elections. revealed that 65% of the men who voted were in favour of extending the franchise to women in British Columbia. GRACE MACINNIS, OC, OBC In April of 1917, British Columbia became the fourth Grace MacInnis was elected to B.C.’s Legislative Assembly in the provincial province in Canada to grant women who qualified as election of 1941. British subjects the right to vote in provincial elections and to stand for election to provincial office. The following year, In 1965, Grace MacInnis achieved a notable ‘first’ for women in B.C. She was the federal government in Ottawa passed similar elected to the Canadian House of legislation, enabling women to vote in federal elections Commons as the New Democratic Party and be elected to the Canadian House of Commons. MP for Vancouver-Kingsway, the first time a woman who had served as a B.C. MLA had won a federal riding. MARY ELLEN SMITH ROSEMARY BROWN, OC, OBC In 1918, Mary Ellen Smith stood as an In the 1972 provincial election, Rosemary Independent candidate in the by-election for Brown ran successfully as the New her husband’s vacant Vancouver City seat. Democratic Party candidate in the riding She won the seat with 58% of the vote, the first of Vancouver-Burrard, becoming the first woman elected to B.C.’s Legislative Assembly. black woman elected to a legislature in Canada. Mary Ellen Smith was also the first woman in both Canada and the then-British Empire to She was re-elected three times, serving the be appointed as a cabinet minister (without citizens of her riding until 1986. portfolio). NANCY HODGES RITA JOHNSTON Nancy Hodges ran successfully as a Rita Johnston ran successfully as a Social candidate in the 1941 provincial election, Credit candidate in the provincial elec- joining the Liberal-Conservative coalition tion of 1983, and was re-elected in 1986. government. She was re-elected to B.C.’s Legislative Assembly in 1945, 1949 and 1952. Following the resignation of Premier Bill Vander Zalm in 1991, Rita Johnston In 1950, Nancy Hodges was appointed the first was selected by her caucus to serve as female Speaker in the Commonwealth. interim leader of the governing Social She was later the first woman from B.C. Credit Party, thereby becoming the first appointed to serve in the Senate of Canada. female Premier in Canada. TILLY JEAN ROLSTON HON. IONA CAMPAGNOLO, OC, OBC Tilly Rolston was elected to B.C.’s Legislative In 1974, Iona Campagnolo was elected Assembly in 1941 as the Conservative member to the Canadian House of Commons as for the riding of Vancouver-Point Grey. She the Liberal MP for the riding of Skeena. was re-elected in 1945 and 1949 as a Liberal- She was later appointed as a member of Conservative coalition member, and in 1952 as cabinet, where she served until 1979. a member of the first Social Credit government. In 2001, Iona Campagnolo was installed In 1952, Tilly Rolston was appointed Minister of as B.C.’s 27th Lieutenant Governor, the first Education, becoming the first female cabinet woman to be appointed as the provincial minister in Canada to be given a portfolio. representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. A Timeline of Parliamentary Milestones for Women in B.C. 1873 White female property holders in B.C. are permitted to vote in municipal elections 1880-1890 Women’s suffrage petitions are presented to B.C.’s Legislative Assembly 1891-1914 16 women’s suffrage bills are introduced and defeated in B.C.’s Legislative Assembly 1916 A referendum on women’s suffrage is held in conjunction with the provincial general election, with 65 percent of participating male voters expressing support for women’s suffrage 1917 The Provincial Elections Act is amended to grant women who qualify as British subjects the right to vote in a provincial election and the right to stand as a candidate for election to B.C.’s Legislative Assembly 1918 Mary Ellen Smith wins a by-election in Vancouver, becoming the first woman elected to serve in B.C.’s Legislative Assembly 1918 The federal government passes An Act to Confer the Electoral Franchise upon Women, granting women who qualify as British subjects in B.C. and across Canada the right to vote in federal elections – the legislation comes into effect on January 1, 1919 1921 Mary Ellen Smith becomes the first woman in the then-British Empire to be appointed a cabinet minister (without portfolio) 1929 Following a ruling from the British Privy Council (then Canada’s highest Court of Appeal), Canadian women are declared ‘persons’ under the British North America Act and eligible to be appointed to the Senate of Canada 1947 The provincial franchise is extended to Chinese and South Asian women and men in B.C. 1949 The provincial franchise is extended to Aboriginal and Japanese women and men in B.C. 1950 Nancy Hodges, a Member of B.C.’s Legislative Assembly, is appointed the first female Speaker in the Commonwealth 1952 Tilly Jean Rolston becomes B.C.’s Minister of Education, the first female cabinet minister with a portfolio in Canada 1953 Nancy Hodges is the first woman from B.C. appointed to serve in the Senate of Canada 1965 Grace MacInnis is the first woman from B.C. elected to the Canadian House of Commons 1972 Rosemary Brown is elected to the B.C. Legislative Assembly, the first black woman elected to a provincial legislature in Canada 1972 Eileen Elizabeth Dailly is the first omanw in B.C. to serve as acting President of the Executive Council 1975 Grace McCarthy is the first female Deputy Premier in Canada 1991 Rita Johnston is the first female Premier in Canada 1991 Judi Tyabji is the first female MLA of Indo-Canadian descent 1993 Kim Campbell, former B.C. MLA, is the first female Prime Minister in Canada 1996 Ida Chong and Jenny Wai Ching Kwan are the first women of Chinese-Canadian descent elected to the B.C. Legislative Assembly 2001 Hon. Iona Campagnolo is installed as B.C.’s first female Lieutenant Governor 2009 Mable Elmore is the first Filipino-Canadian and Naomi Yamamoto the first Japanese-Canadian elected to the B.C. Legislative Assembly 2013 Jane Jae Kyung Shin is the first Korean-Canadian elected to the B.C. Legislative Assembly 2013 Hon. Christy Clark is the first elected female Premier in B.C. Women Making History in B.C.’s Legislature Today White female property holders in B.C. are permitted to vote in municipal elections For the first time in British Columbia’s parliamentary history, Women’s suffrage petitions are presented to B.C.’s Legislative Assembly three women held the most senior positions in the 40th Parliament. 16 women’s suffrage bills are introduced and defeated in B.C.’s Legislative Assembly A referendum on women’s suffrage is held in conjunction with the provincial general election, with 65 percent of participating male voters expressing support for women’s suffrage Honourable Judith Guichon, OBC The Provincial Elections Act is amended to grant women who qualify as British subjects the right to vote in a provincial election and the right to stand as a candidate for election to 29th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia B.C.’s Legislative Assembly Hon. Judith Guichon, OBC, was sworn in as British Columbia’s 29th Lieutenant Mary Ellen Smith wins a by-election in Vancouver, becoming the first woman elected to serve Governor on November 2, 2012. As the Queen’s representative in British Columbia, in B.C.’s Legislative Assembly she upholds the province’s constitutional framework. The federal government passes An Act to Confer the Electoral Franchise upon Women, granting women who qualify as British subjects in B.C. and across Canada the right to vote in federal elections – the legislation comes into effect on January 1, 1919 Honourable Mary Ellen Smith becomes the first woman in the then-British Empire to be appointed a Christy Clark cabinet minister (without portfolio) Following a ruling from the British Privy Council (then Canada’s highest Court of Appeal), 35th Premier of British Columbia and President of the Executive Council Canadian women are declared ‘persons’ under the British North America Act and eligible to Hon. Christy Clark was sworn in for her second term as Premier of British Columbia on be appointed to the Senate of Canada June 10, 2013 and was elected as the MLA for Westside-Kelowna in a by-election on The provincial franchise is extended to Chinese and South Asian women and men in B.C. July 10, 2013. The Premier is the head of the provincial government. The provincial franchise is extended to Aboriginal and Japanese women and men in B.C. Nancy Hodges, a Member of B.C.’s Legislative Assembly, is appointed the first female Speaker in the Commonwealth Honourable Tilly Jean Rolston becomes B.C.’s Minister of Education, the first female cabinet minister with a Linda Reid portfolio in Canada 37th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Nancy Hodges is the first woman from B.C.