Famous Five Monument, Ottawa, Guia do visitante e o que fazer por perto

The Famous Five Monument in Ottawa is a bronze sculpture honouring Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Irene Parlby, five Alberta women who fought to have women recognised as persons in Canadian law. It stands in downtown Ottawa close to Parliament Hill and marks a turning point in Canada's story of equal rights.

The story behind it

In the 1920s the five women, all from Alberta and all active in social reform, asked a question that sounds odd today: does the word "persons" in the British North America Act include women? The wording had been used to keep women out of the Senate. Canadian courts said no, so the group took the case further, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, then the highest court of appeal for Canada.

In 1929 the Privy Council ruled that women are indeed persons and can be appointed to the Senate. The case became known as the Persons Case. Cairine Wilson became the first woman appointed to the Senate in the following year. The monument, by sculptor Barbara Paterson, was made to celebrate the five women and the ruling. A matching group stands in Calgary.

What to look for

• The five life-size bronze figures are grouped together as if caught in a moment of celebration, so walk around them to see each woman's pose and expression.
• The words "Women Are Persons!" are part of the monument and sum up the argument of the whole case.
• An empty chair sits beside the group, and visitors are invited to take a seat and join the women.
• Look up from the sculpture to the Parliament buildings nearby and think about the Senate chamber where the ruling changed who could sit.

Tips for your visit

• The monument is outdoors and free to see at any time you pass, and a stop of 10 to 15 minutes is enough to read, sit and take photos.
• Morning or late afternoon light is kind to bronze and makes for better photos, with fewer people around early in the day.
• It sits in the middle of Ottawa's main sights, so you can combine it with Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal and the ByWard Market on foot.
• If you want to visit Parliament itself, check current opening hours and tour arrangements before you go.

See it on a quest

The monument is one stop on The Oz Escape in Ottawa, a self-guided walk with a Wizard of Oz theme. You reach the sculpture on foot as part of a longer route through the centre of the city, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group, so you can start whenever suits you, with no guide and no set departure time.