Paying our respects to Nellie McClung

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This article was published 30/03/2010 (5947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Will Nellie McClung stand, sit, read, shake her fist, glower at the Manitoba legislature and tell politicians to smarten up, gaze towards the horizon and a better day, or cast a vote?

Janice Filmon isn’t telling — but she hopes we’ll all find out later this summer.

Work is already underway by Winnipeg sculptor Helen Granger Young on a 1.25-times-life-size bronze sculpture of the woman from Manitou who devoted most of her life to bringing the vote to women.

Details will not be revealed until the unveiling, said Filmon, chairwoman of the Nellie McClung Foundation. Filmon said Monday a hole is being dug on the west side of the legislative grounds for the foundation of the sculpture now being cast in stages in a foundry in Alberta.

The Nellie McClung Foundation needs another $25,000 to finish the job, said Filmon, who said the overall cost will be announced at the unveiling.

"I can confirm that that digging that is going on is for the foundation.

"We’re hoping to finish it off and bring Nellie home" for an unveiling at Homecoming Manitoba 2010 this summer, she said. "Our foundation is inviting all Manitobans to get involved. We still have a little ways to go.

"All the major funding partners have confirmed their participation," said Filmon, listing Ottawa, the provincial government, the city, the Winnipeg Foundation and private donors. "We really are just extremely grateful."

Filmon said she grew up meeting people named after Nellie McClung and hearing stories about her struggles for women’s rights.

"She was 43 years old when, in 1916, she got the vote for Manitoba women. She was 56 years old in 1929 when she worked on the Persons Case" to extend that vote nationally, Filmon said.

She won’t even give a hint of which way McClung will be facing.

"We’re cognizant of wanting to have the best view for everyone, with the dome in the background," she said.

Donations can be made to the Winnipeg Foundation, online at ournellie.com, or through Alyson Kennedy at the Nellie McClung Foundation, 2500/201 Portage Ave., Winnipeg R3B 3K6.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca