Agnes Macphail

Agnes Campbell Macphail

Portrait by Yousuf Karsh, 1934
Member of Provincial Parliament
In office
1948–1951
Preceded by John A. Leslie
Succeeded by Hollis Edward Beckett
Constituency York East
Member of Provincial Parliament
In office
1943–1945
Preceded by George Stewart Henry
Succeeded by John A. Leslie
Constituency York East
Member of Parliament
In office
1935–1940
Preceded by New riding
Succeeded by Walter Harris
Constituency Grey—Bruce
Member of Parliament
In office
1921–1935
Preceded by Robert James Ball
Succeeded by Riding abolished
Constituency Grey Southeast
Personal details
Born (1890-03-24)March 24, 1890
Proton Township, Grey County, Ontario
Died February 13, 1954(1954-02-13) (aged 63)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political party Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
UFO-Labour
Progressive
Domestic partner Single
Residence Toronto
Occupation Schoolteacher
Religion Community of Christ (RLDS)

Agnes Campbell Macphail (March 24, 1890 February 13, 1954) was the first woman to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons, and one of the first two women elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Active throughout her life in progressive Canadian politics, Macphail worked for two separate parties and promoted her ideas through column-writing, activist organizing, and legislation.

Background

"Agnes Macphail Country" sign at eastern approach to Ceylon, Ontario

Agnes Macphail was born to Dougald McPhail and Henrietta Campbell in Proton Township, Grey County, Ontario on March 24, 1890. (Although her surname was spelled "McPhail" at birth, she discovered during a trip to Scotland that her family's surname had been "Macphail" and changed her name to reflect this.) She was raised in the Methodist Church, but converted to the Reorganized Latter Day Saint church as a teenager, the church of her missionary uncle.[1]

She attended Owen Sound Collegiate and Vocational Institute for one year. Even though she did well she transferred to Stratford Normal School so she could board with a relative. She graduated in 1910 with a second class teacher's certificate. She applied for five positions and was accepted at all five. She claimed that this was not due to her competence but due to a scarcity of teachers at the time.[2] She taught in several rural schools in such communities as Port Elgin, Honeywood and Newmarket.

While working in Sharon, Macphail became active politically, joining the United Farmers of Ontario (UFO) and its women's organization, the United Farm Women of Ontario. She also became a columnist for the Farmer's Sun around this time.

Federal politics

After amendments to the Elections Act by the Conservative Party government in 1919, Macphail was elected to the House of Commons as a member of the Progressive Party of Canada for the Grey Southeast electoral district (riding) in the 1921 federal election. She was the first woman Member of Parliament (MP) in Canada. Macphail was re-elected in the 1925, 1926, and 1930 federal elections.

Macphail objected to the Royal Military College of Canada in 1924 on the grounds that it taught snobbishness and provided a cheap education for the sons of the rich and again in 1931 on pacifist grounds.[3]

As a radical member of the Progressive Party, Macphail joined the socialist Ginger Group, faction of the Progressive Party that later led to the formation of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). She became the first president of the Ontario CCF in 1932.[4] However, she left the CCF in 1934 when the United Farmers of Ontario pulled out, over fears of Communist influence in the Ontario CCF.[5] While Macphail was no longer formally a CCF member, she remained close to the CCF MPs and often participated in caucus meetings. The CCF did not run candidates against Macphail in her three subsequent federal campaigns.

In the 1935 federal election, Macphail was again elected, this time as a United Farmers of Ontario–Labour MP for the newly formed Grey—Bruce riding.[6] She was allowed to use the party's name, even after it stopped being a political organization in 1934. She was always a strong voice for rural issues. Another one of Macphail's issues was penal reform; her efforts led to the formation of the investigative Archambault Commission in 1936. Macphail's concern for women in the criminal justice system led her, in 1939, to found the Elizabeth Fry Society of Canada, named after British reformer Elizabeth Fry.

Causes she championed included pensions for seniors and workers' rights. Macphail was also the first Canadian woman delegate to the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, where she worked with the World Disarmament Committee. Although a pacifist, she voted for Canada to enter World War II.

In the 1940 election, she was defeated. With the death of United Reform MP for Saskatoon City, Walter George Brown, a few days after the election, Macphail was recruited by the United Reform Movement to run in the by-election to fill the seat. On August 19, she was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Alfred Henry Bence. He received 4,798 votes, while Macphail placed second with 4,057 votes.[7] It was her last federal campaign as a candidate.

Journalist

Out of office, she wrote agricultural columns for the Globe and Mail newspaper in Toronto. Following a family tragedy in her home town, Macphail moved to the Toronto suburb of East York, Ontario and rejoined the Ontario CCF in 1942 becoming its farm organizer.

Provincial politics

In the 1943 provincial election, Macphail was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a member of the Ontario CCF representing the suburban Toronto riding of York East.[8] She and Rae Luckock were the first women elected to the Ontario Legislature. She was the first woman sworn in as an Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). Although defeated in the 1945 provincial election, she was elected again in the 1948 election. Macphail was responsible for Ontario's first equal-pay legislation, passed in 1951, but was unable to continue her efforts when she was defeated in elections later that year. At that time, Macphail was barely able to support herself through journalism, public speaking and organizing for the Ontario CCF.

Macphail never married. She died February 13, 1954, aged 63, in Toronto, just before she was to have been offered an appointment to the Canadian Senate. She is buried in Priceville, Ontario, with her parents and Gertha Macphail, one of her two sisters. Her tombstone is spelled "McPhail".[9]

Electoral record

Ontario general election, 1943
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
Co-operative CommonwealthAgnes Macphail 12,016 46.4
Progressive ConservativeJohn A. Leslie 10,440 40.3
LiberalH.J. McConnell 3,459 13.3
Total valid votes 25,915100.0
Montreal Gazette (Google News)[8]

Federal: Saskatoon City

By-election on 19 August 1940
Party Candidate Votes
ConservativeAlfred Henry Bence 4,798
     United Reform Agnes MacPhail 4,057
LiberalMichael Patrick Hayes 2,421
Independent LiberalSidney Walter Johns 2,250
Independent Social CreditGeorge Howard Bradbrooke 1,200
IndependentAgnes Wilna Moore 491

Federal: Grey—Bruce

Canadian federal election, 1940: Grey—Bruce
Party Candidate Votes
LiberalHARRIS, Walter Edward 6,389
National GovernmentKNECHTEL, Karl Daniel 4,944
  United Farmers of OntarioLabour MACPHAIL, Agnes Campbell 4,761
Canadian federal election, 1935: Grey—Bruce
Party Candidate Votes
  United Farmers of OntarioLabour MACPHAIL, Agnes C. 7,210
LiberalHALL, Walter Allan 5,727
ConservativeCAMPBELL, Lewis G. 5,100

Federal: Grey Southeast

Canadian federal election, 1930
Party Candidate Votes
ProgressiveAgnes Campbell MacPhail 6,619
LiberalLewis G. Campbell 6,376
Canadian federal election, 1926
Party Candidate Votes
ProgressiveAgnes Campbell MacPhail 7,939
ConservativeRobert Thomas Edwards 6,211
Canadian federal election, 1925
Party Candidate Votes
ProgressiveAgnes C. MacPhail 6,652
ConservativeLewis G. Campbell 5,245
Canadian federal election, 1921
Party Candidate Votes
ProgressiveAgnes Campbell MacPhail 6,958
ConservativeRobert James Ball 4,360
LiberalWalter Hastie 2,638

Legacy

Macphail Memorial Elementary School in Flesherton, Ontario was named for Agnes Macphail
Historical plaque honouring Macphail outside Owen Sound Collegiate & Vocational Institute (OSCVI)

References and notes

Notes

  1. http://multiculturalcanada.ca/Encyclopedia/A-Z/m8/9
  2. Pennington, Doris (1989). Agnes Macphail: Reformer. Toronto: Simon & Pierre Publishing Company Ltd. p. 19. ISBN 0-88924-212-7.
  3. R. Preston 'Canada's RMC: A History of the Royal Military College' (Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969)
  4. Stewart & Shackelton (1959), pp. 171–172
  5. Stewart & Shackelton (1959), p. 178
  6. "Candidates". History of Federal Elections since 1867. Elections Canada. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
  7. "By-Elections: SASKATOON CITY (1940/08/19)". History of Federal Elections since 1867. Elections Canada. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
  8. 1 2 Canadian Press (1943-08-05). "Ontario Election Results". The Gazette (Montreal). p. 12.
  9. "Agnes C. McPhail". Find A Grave. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  10. "Agnes Macphail PS". Schools. Toronto District School Board. 2007. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
  11. The Agnes Macphail Award. City of Toronto. Accessed April 2, 2009
  12. EastYorkRealtor.com
  13. "The Agnes Macphail Digital Collection: Agnes Macphail Country Sign". Grey Highlands Public Library. 2007. Retrieved 2010-02-09.

References

External links

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