Louise McKinney née Crummy (22 September 1868 10 July 1931) was a provincial politician and women's rights activist from Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. She was the first woman

Woman

A woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...

 sworn in to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta

Legislative Assembly of Alberta

The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...

 and the first woman elected to a legislature in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 and in the British Empire

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

. She served that position from 1917 to 1921 sitting with the Non-Partisan League

Alberta Non-Partisan League

The Alberta Non-Partisan League was a minor provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. The league changed its name to the Non-Partisan Political League of Canada: Alberta Branch in 1917 as it prepared to move into federal politics...

 caucus in opposition.

Political career

McKinney ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1917 Alberta general election

Alberta general election, 1917

The Alberta general election of 1917 was the fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, held on 7 June 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....

. She won the electoral district of Claresholm as a candidate for the Non-Partisan League

Alberta Non-Partisan League

The Alberta Non-Partisan League was a minor provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. The league changed its name to the Non-Partisan Political League of Canada: Alberta Branch in 1917 as it prepared to move into federal politics...

 by defeating Liberal

Alberta Liberal Party

The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...

 incumbent William Moffat

William Moffat

William Moffat was a politician from Alberta, Canada.Moffat was elected in the 1913 Alberta general election in a hotly contested election...

 in hotly contested race.

McKinney believed in temperance education, stronger liquor control, women's property rights and the Dower Act. She was one of two woman sworn into the Alberta Legislative Assembly on 7 June 1917, the other being Roberta MacAdams. McKinney became one of "The Famous Five

The Famous Five (Canada)

The Famous Five or The Valiant Five were five Canadian women who asked the Supreme Court of Canada to answer the question, "Does the word 'Persons' in Section 24 of the British North America Act, 1867, include female persons?" in the case Edwards v...

" (also called "The Valiant Five"), along with Irene Parlby

Irene Parlby

Irene Parlby was a Canadian women's farm leader, activist and politician.Born in London, England, Parlby came to Canada in 1896. In 1913, Parlby helped to found the first women's local of the United Farmers of Alberta. In 1921, she was elected to the Alberta Legislature for the riding of Lacombe,...

, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy

Emily Murphy

Emily Murphy was a Canadian women's rights activist, jurist, and author. In 1916, she became the first woman magistrate in Canada, and in the British Empire...

 and Nellie McClung

Nellie McClung

Nellie McClung, born Nellie Letitia Mooney , was a Canadian feminist, politician, and social activist. She was a part of the social and moral reform movements prevalent in Western Canada in the early 1900s...

She ran for a second term in the 1921 Alberta general election

Alberta general election, 1921

The Alberta general election of 1921 was the fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on July 18, 1921 to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly....

, running under the United Farmers

United Farmers of Alberta

The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary...

 banner. She was defeated and lost her seat to Independent Farmer candidate Thomas Milnes

Thomas Milnes

Thomas Charles Milnes was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1921 to 1925 sitting as an Independent.-Political career:...

in a hotly contested race.

Late life and honours

Among other honours, in October 2009 the Senate voted to name McKinney and the rest of the Five Canada's first "honorary senators". She died at Claresholm, Alberta, in 1931.

External links

• Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing
• profile, Alberta Heritage
• profile, Library and Archives Canada
• profile, Elections Canada