Community Building Legacy

A leader takes responsibility for his or her experience and has confidence that change is possible though committed effort. At a time when social conditions limited the experience of women in Canada, the Famous 5 emerged as examples of individuals willing to pursue justice and the amelioration of social ills.

Armed with the understanding that a society’s behaviours are shaped by the laws it upholds, the Famous 5 worked individually and collectively to challenge the legal definitions of woman’s role in early 20th century Canada.

Despite a multitude of setbacks, the Famous 5 and their supporters (both men and women across the dominion) persisted for years, systematically achieving one success after the another. Though the Famous 5 worked primarily to create equality between the sexes, and pursued rights for women in both the public and private spheres, their victories could be felt by everyone and served to strengthen families as well as entire communities.

Their story is remarkable, five women from Alberta who decided to take up the cause of women, and ended up changing the course of Canadian culture forever. Their experience shall stand as a testament and inspiration for future generations and their quest to affect change and create the world they collectively want to live in.