Women in the 21st Canadian Parliament

During the 21st Canadian Parliament, the number of sitting women senators increased. Eleven women ran for seats in the Canadian House of Commons in the 1949 federal election; none were elected. However, Ellen Fairclough, who had run unsuccessfully in the Hamilton West riding as a Progressive Conservative, was elected in a May 1950 by-election held after the incumbent was appointed to the Ontario Supreme Court.[1]

Cairine Wilson and Iva Campbell Fallis continued to sit as members of the Senate. In May 1953, Muriel McQueen Fergusson and Marianna Beauchamp Jodoin were named to the Canadian senate, bringing the total number of women senators to four.[2][3]

Party Standings

Party	Total women candidates	% women candidates of total candidates	Total women elected	% women elected of total women candidates	% women elected of total elected
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation	5 (of 180)	2.8%	0 (of 13)	0%	0%
Progressive Conservative	3 (of 249)	1.2%	0 (of 41)	0%	0%
Union of Electors	2 (of 56)	3.6%	0 (of 0)	0%	-
Liberal	1 (of 258)	0.4%	0 (of 191)	0%	0%
Table source:[4]

Members of the House of Commons

	Name	Party	Electoral district	Notes
	Ellen Fairclough	Progressive Conservative	Hamilton West	by-election

Senators

	Senator	Appointed on the advice of	Term	from	Party
	Cairine Wilson	King	1930.02.15 - 1962.03.03	Ontario	Liberal
	Iva Campbell Fallis	Bennett	1935.07.20 - 1956.03.07	Ontario	Conservative
	Muriel McQueen Fergusson	St. Laurent	1953.05.19 - 1975.05.23	New Brunswick	Liberal
	Marianna Beauchamp Jodoin	St. Laurent	1953.05.19 - 1966.06.01	Quebec	Liberal

References

1. "Ellen Fairclough". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
2. "Honorable Muriel McQueen Fergusson". Celebrating Women's Achievements. Library and Archives Canada.
3. Marianna Beauchamp Jodoin – Parliament of Canada biography
4. Parliament of Canada: Women Candidates in General Elections