10/18/2026
It’s Persons Day in Canada 🇨🇦 on October 18 1927, women became “persons” in the eyes of the law. But not all women were recognized. Instead, Indigenous women—along with Indigenous men—were formally recognized as full legal persons with the right to vote in federal elections without losing their treaty or Indian status in 1960.
A question that changed history: Are women considered persons under the law?
In 1927, five determined women, later known as the Famous Five, decided to challenge Canada’s legal system. They asked a bold question: did the word “person” in Section 24 of the British North America Act apply to women as well as men?
Their fight lasted two years. Finally, on October 18, 1929, Canada’s highest court of appeal delivered its answer: YES, women are persons.
In his ruling, the Lord Chancellor called the old exclusion of women from public life “a relic of days more barbarous than ours.” He added, “To those who would ask why the word ‘person’ should include females, the obvious answer is, why should it not?”
This groundbreaking decision became known as the Persons Case: a major victory for women’s rights in Canada. Although it didn’t grant equality to all women, particularly Indigenous women and women of Asian descent, it opened doors to political participation and leadership that had long been closed.
Today, we remember the courage of the Famous Five and the legacy they created: one that continues to shape the pursuit of equality in Canada.
Learn more about the Persons Case: https://ow.ly/aigB50ZXgXJ
