NDP statement on Persons Day 2024

Canada’s NDP leader Jagmeet Singh issued the following statement:

“Today we recognize and remember the efforts of Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, Nellie McClung and Henrietta Muir Edwards, who challenged Canada to recognize women as legal persons. Today is also a day to reflect on the fact that women in Canada had to fight to win the most basic of rights, and recommit ourselves to the progress still to be won.

The ‘Famous Five’ took their fight beyond Canada’s Supreme Court and to the Privy Council of Great Britain where they won their rights and the rights for women across Canada. Their tireless work, courage and leadership paved the way for women to pursue careers in public service and politics, although Canada continued to delay the same legal rights for Indigenous women and women from Asian heritage.

While there’s an incredible amount of progress to celebrate, women and gender-diverse Canadians are still fighting for equality—including the fight to close the gender pay gap; defending against far right backwards and shameful attacks against women’s reproductive rights; and fighting for justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people, their families, and communities.

New Democrats are partners in the fight for gender equity, which is why we fought for and won free contraception, why we fight to close the gender pay gap, why we advocate for more access to abortions and reproductive health care and it’s why we’ll never back down in the fight for women and gender-diverse people.”