Nellie McClung

Nellie McClung

The Canadian Hero that I choose was Nellie McClung. She was born near Chatsworth, Ontario, on October 20, 1873. When she was seven her family decided to move to Souris Valley, Manitoba. She was the youngest of six. Nellie was independent and spirited. She didn’t start school until she was ten and she was very keen to learn to read. When she was sixteen she received her teaching certificate. She was a leader, teacher, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, author, speaker and wife. She married Wesley McClung, a druggist, in 1896 and had five children.

Her great causes were women’s suffrage and temperance. It was through her efforts that women got the right to vote. The efforts of Nellie and those who shared her goals and enthusiasm effected significant changes in women's lives. Because of her, Canadian women can now vote, hold political office, be ordained ministers, and be recognized as fully participating citizens of the country. Nellie campaigned her whole life for women’s rights.

This is how it all started. “Nellie was always the curious one while growing up. At a community picnic in the summer Nellie first questioned Women's rights. Nellie was having a fun time with her siblings. They had just announced a running race. Nellie knew that she could beat the boys to the finish line. Before the race could start a hand stopped Nellie. The hand belonged to the picnic coordinator. He told Nellie she wasn't allowed to race, Nellie questioned this. He told her ladies were not allowed to run. She argued that she could beat any boy there. Still he told her to go, Nellie asked why, he told her it wasn't right for little girls to run and that it wasn't proper. Nellie was told to be quiet.” Nellie was a determined young lady and this picnic was the beginning of her fight for women’s rights.

Nellie McClung Web

All of the following things Nellie did explain why her life was so remarkable and this is why I admire her. Nellie was involved in the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, which was a group that believed that the abuse of alcohol caused unemployment, disease, poverty and immorality. The WCTU also believed that women should be permitted to vote.
Another example of some of the things she did was when …“She led Manitoba Premier Rodmond Roblin through the city's sweatshops to demonstrate the appalling working conditions many women faced. When Roblin suggested "nice" women did not want the vote, Nellie McClung retorted: "By nice women...you probably mean selfish women who have no more thought for the underprivileged, overworked women than a pussycat in a sunny window for the starving kitten in the street. Now in that sense I am not a nice woman for I do care."
Premier Roblin strongly opposed giving women the right to vote, and in 1914 Nellie McClung and her fellow reformers wanted to defeat him. They put on a play called "The Women's Parliament," a satire that turned the tables and poked fun at the dangers of giving men the right to vote. Nellie McClung's parody of premier Roblin's arguments caused uproarious laughter for packed and enthusiastic audiences.
Although Roblin's Conservative government was re-elected, his victory was short-lived. The next year the suffragists helped to defeat him and in 1916 the new Liberal government gave the vote to Manitoba women.”

I think that the “Famous Five” are true Canadian heroes. In 1929 Nellie, along with four other Alberta women, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy, and Louise McKinney, successfully fought in the courts and at parliament to have women declared “persons” under the law. These women became know as the “Famous Five”. This was a huge accomplishment for Canadian women.

On October 18, 1999 a bronze statue of the Famous Five was unveiled in Calgary near the Olympic Plaza. On August 29, 1973, an 8-cent stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of Nellie’s birth went on sale. In 1978, the province of Alberta designated Nellie’s home in Calgary at 803 15th Avenue S.W. as a Provincial Historic Resource.

Nellie McClungs Poster

Some newspapers and magazines criticized Nellie for her views on equality. Some nicknamed her "Calamity Nell". Other names she was called were “Windy Nellie,” “Holy Terror” and “The Hyena in Petticoats”. Nellie had two heroes in her life. The first one was E. Cora Hind, who was a writer for the Manitoba Free Press during Nellie's teen years. Charles Dickens was her second hero who influenced her writing. Nellie wrote a total of sixteen books over the years. Her first novel she wrote was in 1908 and it was called Sowing Seeds in Danny.

Nellie in her "Golden Years"

Nellie is my hero because she gave women the right to vote. She stood up for women and children so they could have a better life. She is a good example of how not to be selfish and I think that the bit of information that I researched on her tells you why I think that she is a great Canadian Hero. She did so much in her lifetime that it is hard to believe she got it all in. She had a remarkable life. I think part of the reason why she was able to do the things she could is because she had very supportive parents, husband and mother-in-law. I’m very happy that I was not born back then and I’m so glad that Nellie made my life easier today. Nellie should be admired for having the courage and the strength to speak out. In those times it was very brave of women to speak out.

I also admire Nellie McClung because I too do not give up. If I feel very strong about something I can take a stand and debate it to the best of what I believe and know. I think she is a good example to not just girls and women but to boys and men as well. She was very confident and had high self-esteem and this is great trait to have. She is a good role model to young and old and inspires them to never give up on a dream. Nellie makes me look at my personality and myself and makes me want to have her determination. It was nice to see that her marriage lasted for 55 years and that they enjoyed their retirement years in Victoria before she died in 1951.