Sybil Bennett

Marion Sybil Bennett (February 7, 1904 – November 12, 1956) was a Canadian politician. She represented the electoral district of Halton in the House of Commons of Canada from 1953 until her death.

Sybil Bennett
Sybil Bennett upon being called to the Ontario bar (1930)
Member of Parliament for Halton
In office
1953–1956
Preceded byHughes Cleaver
Succeeded byCharles Alexander Best
Personal details
Born(1904-02-07)February 7, 1904
St. George, Ontario, Canada
DiedNovember 12, 1956(1956-11-12) (aged 52)
Churchville, Ontario, Canada[1]
funeral in Milton, Ontario[2]
Resting placeGeorgetown, Ontario[2]
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Occupationlawyer

Biography

Bennett's parents were from one of the oldest families to have settled in Halton County, being of United Empire Loyalist origin from Massachusetts.[3] She was also a second cousin to R.B. Bennett.[4] She obtained degrees from the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall, where she took active part in political debates.[3]

Bennett was called to the bar in 1930,[5] and, in 1945, became the fourth woman in the British Commonwealth to be named as a King's Counsel.[6] She was one of the first women in Canada to enter private practice in law, setting up in partnership in Brampton and later opening a law office in Georgetown.[3] She had the reputation of being a gifted orator.[7]

A member of the Progressive Conservative Party, Bennett first ran for election in the 1949 election, but was defeated by Liberal incumbent Hughes Cleaver. Cleaver did not run again in 1953, and Bennett won the riding over new Liberal candidate Murray McPhail. On becoming an MP, she sat in the same seat in the chamber that her cousin once had.[4]

Along with Margaret Aitken, Ellen Fairclough and Ann Shipley, she was one of four women elected to the House of Commons in 1953, only the second election in Canadian history in which more than one woman was elected to Parliament.

Bennett died at her home on November 12, 1956, being the first female MP in Canada ever to do so in office. She died just four days after her law partner LeRoy Dale, with whom she had been in partnership since 1936.[5]

No by-election was held following her death; she was succeeded by Charles Alexander Best in the 1957 election.

Electoral record
1953 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeSybil Bennett9,91448.4+6.9
LiberalMurray Hunter McPhail8,73242.7-6.4
Co-operative CommonwealthStan Allen1,8198.9-0.5
Total valid votes 20,465 100.0
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References
  1. "Milton Funeral Tomorrow For Sybil Bennett, Halton's M.P." Georgetown Herald. November 14, 1956. p. 1.
  2. "Funeral Cortege Includes M.P.'s As Halton Representative Interred". Canadian Champion. Milton. November 29, 1956. p. 3.
  3. "Funeral Service in Milton Today For Halton Member of Parliament". The Acton Free Press. November 15, 1956. p. 1.
  4. Kogon, Allan (August 10, 2015). "History of Helson Kogon Ashbee Schaljo & Assoc" (PDF). helsons.ca. Georgetown: Helson Kogon Ashbee Schaljo & Associates LLP. pp. 5–8.
  5. "Funeral Service in St. Paul's Here For Halton Member of Parliament". Canadian Champion. Milton. November 15, 1956. p. 9.
  6. "Miss Sybil Bennett is King's Counsel". Georgetown Herald. September 19, 1945. p. 1.
  7. "M.P.'s, Political Associates pay Tribute to Miss Bennett". Georgetown Herald. November 21, 1956. p. 2.
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