All questions
ca_114
Canada's History › Key Events
What was the Persons Case of 1929?
- A ruling that established women are 'persons' under the law and eligible to serve in the Senate
- A case that established bilingualism in federal institutions
- A case establishing the right to strike in Canada
- A Supreme Court ruling on Indigenous land rights
Why this is the correct answer
The Persons Case was a 1929 ruling by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Britain, then Canada's highest court of appeal, which determined that the word 'persons' in the Constitution included women. This overturned an earlier Supreme Court of Canada ruling to the contrary and opened the Senate to women. It was a landmark victory for the women's rights movement in Canada.