Agnes Macphail Quotes (Images)

Agnes Campbell Macphail was the first woman to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons, and one of the first two women elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Active throughout her life in progressive Canadian politics, Macphail worked for two separate parties and promoted her ideas through column-writing, activist organizing, and legislation. Agnes Macphail was born to Dougald McPhail and Henrietta Campbell in Proton Township, Grey County, Ontario on March 24, 1890. Although her surname was spelled "McPhail" at birth, she discovered during a trip to Scotland that her family's surname had been "Macphail" and changed her name to reflect this. She was raised as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a church within the Latter Day Saint movement. Following her schooling at Owen Sound Collegiate and Vocational Institute she attended the teachers college in Stratford, and afterwards taught in schools in southwest Ontario. While working in Sharon, Macphail became active politically, joining the United Farmers of Ontario and its women's organization, the United Farm Women of Ontario. She also became a columnist for the Farmers' Sun around this time.