First woman elected in Alberta — and the British Empire in 1917

June 7, 1917 was a notable day for equal rights in Alberta. On that day, the province noticed for the primary time a lady – Louise McKinney – elected to the provincial legislature. And a second girl, Roberta MacAdams, was elected later that very same yr.

Because the Well-known 5 Basis notes, Alberta was the third province to grant ladies the proper to vote and the proper to hunt elected workplace, but it surely was the primary to carry an election through which ladies may take part. The end result? These two ladies had been elected – by each women and men.

Suffragist Louise McKinney was elected as an impartial candidate in Claresholm. Each the Liberals and Conservatives tried to court docket her as a candidate, however she declined as each events obtained donations from liquor firms and he or she advocated abstinence from alcohol.

Roberta MacAdams was additionally elected as a member of the legislature at massive on this 1917 election. At the moment, two members at massive had been elected to the province’s legislature to signify nurses and troopers who had served abroad within the conflict. MacAdams labored as a dietician for a army hospital and was a lieutenant within the Canadian Military Medical Corps. As a result of the election of the at-large members concerned an abroad vote rely, her victory was declared later within the yr.

Listed below are some archived Calgary Herald articles about this 1917 election.