Over 700 people were hanged in Canada before capital punishment was abolished in 1976. Of those, less than 2% were women. We examine the rare occasions when women were executed and the circumstances surrounding those cases. The stories range from acts of senseless violence to domestic disputes to gross miscarriages of justice to botched executions. We delve into this dark and often overlooked aspect of Canadian history.
In the episode, we mention Canada’s Official Executioner Arthur Ellis. To read more about his story and tragic downfall, check out our blog post – “Canada’s Hangman“.