October 18, 2024
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, presented 12 laureates with the Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case. The two cohorts of award recipients, which represented a diverse cross-section of Canadians, have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of gender equality. Organized by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), this year’s ceremony marked the 95th anniversary of Persons Day, and took place in the location in which the Famous 5 first met.
Recipients included Nicole White, a queer Cree Métis woman who was recognized for her judicial reform efforts. These resulted in the creation of “Alice’s Law," which removes the requirement for parents to be biologically related in order to be listed on their child’s birth certificate. Nicole said: “It is especially powerful to be given this legacy by Governor General Mary Simon and Minister Marci Ien. Your work is an act of reconciliation, and an act of healing for northern and remote communities.”
Dr Aditi Sivakumar, a youth recipient, spoke about how “business as usual” simply cannot continue. Dr Sivakumar was recognized for creating "My Empowerment Platform," a website which offers medical, legal and safety-planning resources for women and children facing violence, for which she also received the Diana Award, a prestigious international accolade. “Events like today give us hope,” she said.
Many recipients thanked their friends, families and mentors for supporting their achievements. During a particularly moving part of the ceremony, author and activist Gemma Hickey, the first transgender person to receive the award, dedicated their award to those “taken too soon by suicide.” Jean Parris, a nurse from Montréal, affirmed that “nothing I’ve done was done without help and support from the people behind me. I have been the voice of the silent. I’ve never been afraid to take on the Goliaths in the room.”
Lorin MacDonald, a renowned human rights lawyer and accessibility advocate, summed up the event when she said: “We stand on the shoulders of giants…Let us re-commit ourselves to the unfinished work of equality. The fight for true equality continues and together we will prevail.”
List of recipients of the 2023 Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case
List of recipients of the 2024 Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case
Today, I’m so happy to see women thriving in all spheres of Canada’s economic, democratic and cultural life.
About the Persons Case Awards
In 1929, five women from Alberta—who became known as the "Famous Five"—won the judiciary battle to be recognized as persons, making women eligible for appointment to the Senate. This landmark moment paved the way for women’s increased participation in public and political life. The case became known as the Persons Case.
The Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case were established in 1979, by the Government of Canada, with the support of former governor general Edward Schreyer, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this historic milestone. These awards highlight Canadian contributions to the advancement of women’s equality and celebrate Canada’s evolution as an inclusive society.