Irene Parlby

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Irene Parlby (January 9, 1868 – July 12, 1965) was a Canadian farm women's leader, activist and politician.

Born in London, England, Parlby came to Canada in 1896. In 1913, Parlby helped to found the first women's local of the United Farmers of Alberta. In 1921, she was elected to the Alberta Legislature for the riding of Lacombe, holding the riding for 14 years. Appointed as minister without portfolio, she was the first woman Cabinet minister in Alberta.

Parlby was one of the Valiant Five, who established that women were, indeed, persons and therefore entitled to sit in the Senate of Canada.

A lifelong advocate for rural Canadian women and children, Parlby was president of the United Farm Women of Alberta from 1916 to 1919. On behalf of the UFWA, she pushed to improve public health care services and establish municipal hospitals as well as mobile medical and dental clinics. In 1921 Parlby was elected to the provincial legislature and made a cabinet minister (the second woman in Canada to hold a provincial cabinet post).

She was once quoted saying: "...and what when we die? Should women go back to the state they once belonged to. No, they should rather take arms against it, and fight for acknowledgment, not uniformity. Here she fought for acceptance rather that equality to the male race.

[edit] External links

• Library and Archives of Canada. Celebrating Women's Achievements: Irene Marryat Parlby
• Irene Parlby at The Canadian Encyclopedia

Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Preceded by Andrew Gilmour	MLA Lacombe 1921-1935	Succeeded by Duncan MacMillan