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| House of Parliament 1938 |
Political Context
When Agnes Macphail entered politics in 1921, Canadian women in
Ontario had only recently won the right to vote at every level of
government, the repercussions of the first World War were being felt at
home and abroad, and farmers were organizing themselves to battle for
financial recognition and rights. Coming from a farm family, Agnes
Macphail had always taken an interest in farming politics and spoke
honestly and clearly about the issues affecting rural communities, which made her a
choice representative for the United Farmers of Ontario (UFO).
Agnes Macphail's nomination to represent South-East Grey County was met with some protest, but her campaign meetings
that autumn were always crowded. The early limelight on Agnes Macphail
as the first woman in Canadian politics was rarely flattering, and
though at times the criticism hurt her, she refused to back down and
return, as one man claimed she would, "to the obscurity of a little
school in the back concessions". She was a woman and an exceptional person who demanded equal rights and fair treatment for the farmers who had voted her in, but also championed for miners in eastern Canada,
child labour in China, prisoners, women, immigrants, and
other marginalized groups. Her unorthodox behaviour and beliefs, her
independence and marital status, and her relentless pursuit of justice marked Agnes Macphail
throughout her political career, but also garnered her some strong
allies.
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