The Famous 5 Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of famed suffragists, legislators and women’s rights advocates: Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Irene Parlby. The Alberta women were lifelong champions of the rights of women and children, and are perhaps best known for winning the 1929 “Persons” Case--inspiring Canada’s Parliament, and eventually the entire British Empire, to recognize women as persons under the law.

Gillian Lawrence, chair of the Famous 5 Foundation board, welcomes the donation as an opportunity for the group to extend its outreach to the next generation of leaders through strong networking and education programs: “We are delighted with this donation. It opens up a number of opportunities for us to continue to communicate and build upon the legacy that was created by our five famous Canadian women.”

ProCura maintains the historic Nellie McClung house in Calgary. Sherry Schluessel, who heads ProCura’s giving program, says it’s looking for investors to help turn the property into a community space for women’s organizations, as well as converting part of the home into a museum dedicated to the Famous 5.

“It would be wonderful if we could get a modern-day Famous 5 to become a moving force in promoting and inspiring female leadership across Canada.”

The Montana is a 27-floor residential tower at 817 15th Ave S.W.