Agnes Macphail Award nominations are open

Agnes Macphail

The East York Foundation has announced that nominations for the 2015 Agnes Macphail Award are open and that the deadline for nominations is Thursday, January 29, 2015. The annual award is open to citizens of the former Borough East York (see below) and is given in commemoration of the ideals of Ms Macphail, who was for many years a resident of Leaside. Agnes Macphail was elected Canada’s first woman Member of Parliament on this date in 1921 and had an active and distinguished career both as an MP and later as MPP for East York. She was a notable progressive and ardent pacifist even though she concluded that it was necessary to fight the aggression of Hitler’s Nazi regime.  The ideals embodied in the award are those of social justice and outstanding contribution to community life in areas such as women’s rights, fairness to seniors and youth. Other standards are criminal justice system and penal reform, international peace and disarmament, access to adequate housing, access to adequate health care or access to adequate education. The former Borough of East York includes East York, Leaside, Thorncliffe Park, Governor’s Bridge, and Bennington Heights. The nomination form and more detailed information about the event are found at this web site link.  The donation form is also at the web site. All funds collected for the 2015 Agnes Macphail Award will be donated to a charity chosen by the 2015 award recipient. Tax receipts are issued by the East York Foundation. Here are previous winners  (asterisk denotes deceased).