Irene Parlby

Irene Parlby
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office 1921–1935
Preceded by	Andrew Gilmour
Succeeded by	Duncan MacMillan
Constituency	Lacombe
1921–1935[1]	Minister without portfolio
Personal details
Born	Mary Irene Marryat (1868-01-09)9 January 1868 London, England
Died	12 July 1965(1965-07-12) (aged 97) Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Political party	United Farmers
Spouse	Walter Parlby ​ ​ (m. 1897; died 1951)​ [2]
Children	1
Occupation	Women's rights activist politician

Mary Irene Parlby (née Marryat; 9 January 1868 – 12 July 1965) was a Canadian women's farm leader, activist and politician. She served as MLA in the United Farmers of Alberta government from 1921 to 1935, serving as Minister without portfolio in the Cabinet of Alberta during that time. She worked to implement social reforms that helped farm women and children and was an advocate of public health programs. As a member of the Famous Five, she was one of five women who took the Persons Case first to the Supreme Court of Canada, and then to the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for the right of women to serve in the Senate of Canada. From 1930 to 1934, she was one of three Canadian representatives at the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

Parlby's accomplishments have garnered her many honours, both before and after her death. In 1935, the University of Alberta granted her an honorary Doctorate of Laws, making her the first woman in its history to receive such a distinction. In 1966, a year after her death, she was named a Person of National Historic Significance, and in 2009, the Senate of Canada voted to name Parlby and other members of the Famous Five Canada's first honorary Senators.