Louise McKinney
Louise McKinney | |
|---|---|
 A statue of Louise McKinney | |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
| In office 7 June 1917 – 18 July 1921 | |
| Preceded by | William Moffat |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Milnes |
| Constituency | Claresholm |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Louise Crummy 22 September 1868 Frankville, Ontario |
| Died | 10 July 1931 (aged 62) Claresholm, Alberta |
| Resting place | small |
| Political party | Non-Partisan League |
| Other political affiliations | United Farmers |
| Parent |
|
| Occupation | Women's rights activist and politician |
Louise McKinney née Crummy (22 September 1868 – 10 July 1931) was a provincial politician and women's rights activist from Alberta, Canada. She was the first woman sworn into the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the first woman elected to a legislature in Canada and in the British Empire. She served that position from 1917 to 1921 sitting with the Non-Partisan League caucus in opposition. She was a former schoolteacher who came to Alberta in 1903 as a homesteader.[1]
Political career
McKinney ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1917 Alberta general election. She won the electoral district of Claresholm as a candidate for the Non-Partisan League by defeating Liberal incumbent William Moffat in hotly contested race.[2]
McKinney believed in temperance education, stronger liquor control, women's property rights and the Dower Act. She was one of two woman sworn into the Alberta Legislative Assembly on 7 June 1917, the other being Roberta MacAdams. McKinney became one of "The Famous Five" (also called "The Valiant Five"),[3] along with Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy and Nellie McClung
She ran for a second term in the 1921 Alberta general election, running under the United Farmers banner. She was defeated and lost her seat to Independent Farmer candidate Thomas Milnes in a hotly contested race.[4]
Late life and honours
Among other honours, in October 2009 the Senate voted to name McKinney and the rest of the Five Canada's first "honorary senators".[5] She died at Claresholm, Alberta, in 1931.[6]
References
- ^ Sanderson, Kay (1999). 200 Remarkable Alberta Women. Calgary: Famous Five Foundation. p. 19.
- ^ "Election results for Claresholm, 1917 (Alberta general election)". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
- ^ Kome, Penney (1985). Women of Influence: Canadian Women and Politics (1st ed.). Toronto: Doubleday Canada. pp. 31–32. ISBN 978-0-385-23140-4.
- ^ "Election results for Claresholm, 1921 (Alberta general election)". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
- ^ "Alberta's Famous Five named honorary senators". The Globe and Mail. 11 October 2009.
- ^ "The Famous 5 Heroes for Today: Louise McKinney". Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
External links
- Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing
- profile, Alberta Heritage
- profile, Library and Archives Canada
- profile, Elections Canada