The Honourable Pam Parsons, Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality, today announced $25,000 in funding to PerSIStence Theatre Company’s Raise Her Up campaign, to support the completion of a life-size bronze statue of Armine Gosling, a pioneer in social reform and feminism, who led the fight for women in Newfoundland and Labrador to achieve the right to vote.
This funding is being provided in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of women achieving the right to vote and hold public office in Newfoundland and Labrador on April 3, 1925.
The Gosling statue will be the second of a historical woman to be erected in the City of St. John’s. The first was Demasduit, a Beothuk woman (and her husband Nonosabasut, and infant son), unveiled at Confederation Building in October 2024. The unveiling of the Gosling statue, designed by Newfoundland and Labrador artist Sheila Coultas, is scheduled for June 2025 at Bannerman Park.
In 2023, the Provincial Government helped kickstart the Raise Her Up campaign with a contribution of $40,000 from the Office of Women and Gender Equality.
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“Armine Gosling was a trailblazer, whose unwavering determination helped secure the right to vote for women in Newfoundland and Labrador. This statue is a testament to her courage, resilience, and the progress the Women’s Franchise League fought for, reminding us that democracy is strongest when all voices are heard.”
Honourable Pam Parsons
Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality
“We greatly appreciate the ongoing support of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador towards raising a bronze statue of women’s suffrage leader Armine Gosling. This financial support represents a tangible and ongoing commitment to making our public history more inclusive and, on the 100th anniversary of the vote, it recognizes the importance of this transformative social movement that continues to lead our province forward.”
Dr. Margot Duley
Chair of the Armine Gosling Statue Committee, PerSIStence Theatre Company
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Learn more
Office of Women and Gender Equality
Raise Her Up – The Gosling Statue
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