Legacy

Agnes Macphail Country

Legacy

Agnes Macphail died on February 13, 1954 and was buried in Priceville, Ontario, among her family. Her work and memory have left an indelible impression on the people and politics of Canada and she has been commemorated in every possible way: biographies, children's literature, plays, sculpture, photography, historical plaques, cairns and signs, building dedications, and constitutional changes.
In commemoration, Agnes Macphail's birthplace of Grey County boasts many landmarks and is home to the Agnes Macphail Recognition Committee and the Macphail Memorial Elementary School. Local museums house permanent exhibitions of memorabilia and displays of Agnes Macphail's personal effects.
National recognition includes bronze busts that have been displayed in the Ontario House of Assembly in Toronto and the Speaker's Chambers in Ottawa. A commemorative postage stamp was minted in 1990 to mark her 100th birthday and, in 1992, Agnes Macphail's birthday, March 24th, was officially proclaimed to be Agnes Macphail Day by the Province of Ontario.
The results of Agnes Macphail's time in Parliament are still felt in many levels of Canadian governance. Agnes Macphail fought hard for equality, foremost. She worked to bring about reformations of penitentiary governance and regulation, to increase women's rights and access to divorce, she spurred disarmament and anti-war discussions, and strove to break down prejudices based on race and class by living as honestly as she could and speaking out against injustice at every turn. Canada as we know it has been shaped in part by this remarkable pioneer.
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