Friday, October 18--Justice Sharpe on the Persons Case

On the 90th anniversary of the Persons case decision, Justice Robert Sharpe will present a lecture based on his book, The Persons Case, which he co-authored with Patricia McMahon.  The 1929 Persons Case, declaring women to be legal "persons" and thus eligible for appointment to Canada's Senate, is one of the most important constitutional decisions in Canadian history. This lecture will consider the case in its political and social context and examines the lives and views of the people behind it - Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung and the other members of the "famous five," the politicians who barred women from the Senate, the lawyers who argued the case, and the judges who decided it. This lecture is co-sponsored by the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History and presented by Yorkminster Speaker Series. Please visit the speaker series website for more information.