Grace MacInnis was the first woman from British Columbia elected to the House of Commons of Canada, as well as the first wife of a former Canadian Member of Parliament to be elected to the House of Commons in her own right, rather than by directly succeeding her husband in a by-election following his death.
16 Facts About Grace MacInnis
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Woodsworth and the wife of long serving CCF MP Angus MacInnis, Grace MacInnis championed issues such as family planning, affordable housing, abortion rights and women's equality.
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Grace MacInnis was a founding member of the CCF and served as an MLA in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1941 to 1945, on the executive of the national CCF, and in the Canadian House of Commons as a Member of Parliament representing the CCF's successor, the New Democratic Party from 1965 until her retirement in 1974.
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Grace MacInnis was the only woman MP elected in the 1968 election.
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Grace MacInnis's father was a minister of a comfortable Methodist parish.
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Grace MacInnis's mother, Lucy, was a teacher and a loving mother to her children, was known as a liberated thinker who taught her children about birth control, which was illegal at that time.
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Grace MacInnis married Angus MacInnis in January 1932 who spent 27 years as a CCF member of Vancouver-Kingsway in the House of Commons until his retirement in 1957 due to his failing health, which confined MacInnis' activities as well.
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Grace MacInnis was defeated in the 1956 provincial election in the Vancouver Point-Grey riding.
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Grace MacInnis rested and resumed her activities in NDP, and was elected as a Party Member of Vancouver-Kingsway in 1965.
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Grace MacInnis held senior positions in both CCF Party and its successor, the NDP, and was president of the British Columbia Party for two terms, both on constituency and provincial levels.
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Grace MacInnis received unanimous support from her party, and continued her activities for 35 years.
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Grace MacInnis explained that Canadians couldn't qualify unless their income was at least $8,000 a year and for those who could afford it, it was costly to carry a loan for an extended period.
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One problem that Grace MacInnis recognized during her time in Parliament was that men don't usually engage in issues involving women.
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Grace MacInnis advocated for those on lower incomes, in hopes of creating more opportunities for those who aren't able to create their own.
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Grace MacInnis highlighted the importance of the ability for women to not have to choose between work and having children, and considered the need for more childcare centres so this could be made possible.
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Grace MacInnis' papers are held by the special collections division of the library of the University of British Columbia.