On a January day in 1914, a prairie housewife walked through the doors of the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg to convince the government that women should be allowed to vote.  Her name was Nellie McClung.  By early 1916, with the help of McClung, the women of Manitoba would become the first in Canada to win the right to vote. [1] 

Nellie, a lively, talkative little girl, began teaching school in rural Manitoba when she was just 16 years old. [2]

At an early age, she received a series of Dickens novels from her brother; inspired by his social critiques, she was determined to become a writer. [3]

In 1890, at a Young Ladies Bible Class she met Annie McClung, a woman she would later say was "the only woman I have ever seen whom I would like to have as a mother-in-law" [from her autobiography Clearing in the West]. McClung set out to meet Annie's pharmacist son Robert Wesley McClung; they married in 1896. Nellie and Wesley McClung had five children and had, from all accounts, a strong and happy marriage. [4]

On January 27, 1914, a delegation of women headed by McClung petitioned Manitoba’s parliament asking for the right to vote and, not unexpectedly, their request was declined by an arrogant speech by [Premier Sir Rodmand] Roblin. McClung had been a brilliant mimic since childhood when she amused her father with imitations of her mother’s family and McClung paid careful attention to Roblin’s speech and mannerisms and used her mimic skills to her advantage. [5]

McClung's understanding of human nature affected her views on temperance issues and feminism. Thus, when the First World War ended and the Great Depression deepened, McClung's concern for people and her inability to keep quiet propelled her into political activism. [6]

McClung and her fellow temperance advocates knew they could never win their battle against the liquor trade without being able to vote. So, McClung and a delegation of peaceful, polite, Canadian feminists set out to win this fundamental right for women. [7]

In 1921, when the United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) comprised the majority government, McClung was elected as a Liberal. She served five years and joined hands with United Farmers' cabinet minister Irene Parlby on many pieces of social legislation. [8]

[1] "Nellie McClung: The Sculpting of Angels." Life and Times, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Accessed June 15, 2009. <http://www.cbc.ca/lifeandtimes/mcclung.html>

[2] "Nellie McClung." About Canada Multimedia Study Guide Resources, Mount Allison University Centre for Canadian Studies and Canadian Heritage, 2001. <http://www.mta.ca/about_canada/study_guide/famous_women/nellie_mcclung.html>

[3] "Nellie McClung, Woman Suffrage and the Persons Case." The Canadian Studies Webcentre. Accessed June 15, 2009. <http://www.canadianstudies.ca/NewJapan/mcclungunit.html>

[4] Ibid.

[5] "Nellie McClung, Woman Suffrage and the Persons Case."

[6] "The Famous 5: Heroes for Today." Alberta Online Encyclopedia, 2004. <http://www.abheritage.ca/famous5/achievements/nellie_mcclung.html>

[7] "Nellie McClung: The Sculpting of Angels."

[8] "The Famous 5: Heroes for Today."