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Women in the 19th Canadian Parliament

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During the 19th Canadian Parliament, for the first time, a woman sat as a member of the party holding the majority in the House of Commons. Nine women ran for seats in the Canadian House of Commons in the 1940 federal election. Dorise Nielsen was elected in the North Battleford riding as a Unity member; she was the third woman and the first Communist to sit in the House of Commons.[1] Agnes Macphail, first elected in 1921, was defeated.[2] Martha Black chose to step aside to allow her husband George Black to run for reelection.[3] Cairine Wilson and Iva Campbell Fallis continued to sit as members of the Senate.

In June 1941, Cora Taylor Casselman was elected to the House of Commons as a member of the governing Liberal Party in a by-election held following the death of her husband.[4]

Party Standings

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Party Total women candidates % women candidates of total candidates Total women elected % women elected of total women candidates % women elected of total elected
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 5 (of 93) 5.4% 0 (of 8) 0% 0%
Unity 1 (of 2) 50% 1 (of 1) 100% 100%
Independent 1 (of 19) 5.3% 0 (of 1) 0% 0%
United Farmers of Ontario-Labour 1 (of 1) 100% 0 (of 1) 0% -
New Democracy 1 (of 17) 5.9% 0 (of 3) 0% 0%
Table source:[5]

Members of the House of Commons

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Name Party Electoral district Notes
  Dorise Nielsen Unity North Battleford first woman MP from Saskatchewan
  Cora Taylor Casselman Liberal Edmonton East by-election, first woman MP from Alberta

Senators

[edit]
Senator Appointed on the advice of Term from Party
  Cairine Wilson King 1930.02.15 - 1962.03.03 Ontario Liberal
  Iva Campbell Fallis Bennett 1935.07.20 - 1956.03.07 Ontario Conservative

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "North Battleford MP Dorise Nielsen was first Communist in Parliament". Star Phoenix. April 27, 2017.
  2. ^ "Agnes Macphail". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  3. ^ "George Black". Yukon Nuggets. Hougen Group of Companies.
  4. ^ Mardon, Ernest G; Mardon, Austin Albert (2012). Who's Who in Federal Politics in Alberta. pp. 63–64. ISBN 978-1897472194.
  5. ^ Parliament of Canada: Women Candidates in General Elections