on the government to draft legislation for life segregation or sterilization of the feebleminded. The weight of the survey's results, combined with the growing fear that new immigrants were inferior, had generated fears over the protection of land and jobs. In 1923, under growing pressure from the United Farmers of Alberta, Minister of Health, Hon. R.G. Reid, proposed sterilization of mental defectives as a preferable alternative to aggregation in institutions, but concluded that public support would need to be developed. The United Farm Women of Alberta, a group affiliated with the United Farmers of Alberta, answered Reid by launching a campaign for public support in 1924. The group's president, Ms. Margaret Gunn, stated that “democracy was never intended for degenerates.” In addition, group member, Ms. J.W. Field, would go on to serve as Secretary on the Alberta Eugenics Board. This group would also recommend compulsory medical examination before marriage for all Albertans. Other influences In Western Canada, many influential citizens and interest groups campaigned for segregation and sterilization of the feebleminded. Emily Murphy, the first female magistrate for the British Empire, was a prolific and influential writer who organized meetings and addressed many women's groups in support of negative eugenics. J. S. Woodsworth, preacher and Superintendent of All People's Mission in Winnipeg, conducted and published studies on immigration and social response. Woodsworth's reports concerning the quality of immigrants aided in creating a public crisis. Together, these individuals published numerous articles in popular magazines and spoke at public meetings in support of sterilization. There are also ties to the University of Alberta. Dr. John M. MacEachran, founder of the Department of Philosophy and Psychology, was also long time chairman of the Eugenics Board, and Robert Charles Wallace, President of the University of Alberta in 1934, was an outspoken supporter of eugenic sterilization. The highest form of provincial government would show support - Premier John Edward Brownlee stated that “the argument of freedom or right of the individual can no longer hold good where the welfare of the state and of society is concerned.” Many other factors influenced public opinion including the creation in 1930 of the Eugenics Society of Canada, acceptance of sterilization laws in many of the United States, and numerous newspapers, magazines and books touting sterilization as a remedy for rapidly increasing social problems. Sexual sterilization on trial In 1995, Leilani Muir sued Alberta for stigmatization as a moron,