ARTHUR – A Wellington North councillor is working to increase local recognition for an Arthur woman with unique ties to Ontario's political history.
Presenting a notice of motion during a council meeting last month, Coun. Steve McCabe has asked staff to consult with the province to investigate the feasibility of commissioning a commemorative plaque for Margarette Rae Luckock, an Arthur-native and one of Ontario's first female MPPs.
Calling Luckock a feminist, social justice activist and peace activist, McCabe said he put forward a notice of motion because he believes Luckock's "remarkable history" has "been in the shadows for far too long."
According to documents provided by the Arthur & Area Historical Society, Luckock was born in 1893 and grew up on a farm two kilometres south of Arthur until the 1920's, when she moved to Toronto and was eventually elected MPP alongside Agnes Macphail in 1943.
Described as a “trailblazing advocate of consumer, education and women's issues," Luckock was a member of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) representing the Barcondale riding of Toronto and fought for “better schools in rural areas and raised environmental issues long before the environment became a hot topic."
"I am very happy to contribute toward the creation of a new dawn that is rising over the horizon of a changing world," said Luckock, in a statement after her victory to a Toronto newspaper, provided by the Arthur & Area Historical Society.
"The people wanted a change and I must thank the unseen host of friends who voted for me. A new social order is coming, when the people will be given a just share of this world’s goods in return for their toil.”
After her political career, Luckock became the president of a peace organization called the Canadian Congress of Women.
Luckock died in 1972 after a long stint with Parkinson's Disease.
The daughter of J.J Morrison, Morrison helped found the United Farmers of Ontario (UFO) and the United Farmers Cooperative in 1914 and "almost became premier of Ontario" in 1919 when the United Farmers were in power.
A commemorative plaque was installed by the province for Morrison in 1962 on the northwest corner of George Street and Francis Street in Arthur.
Any discussion and decisions will come at the next meeting, likely in the way of staff direction said clerk Karren Wallace.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
