By the early 1900s, most western countries had granted universal male suffrage. The women's suffrage movement in Canada worked to expand voting rights to women as well. Key organizations in the late 19th century promoted women's issues and social reform. World War 1 influenced expanding voting rights, first to women related to soldiers, then all female citizens over 21 for federal elections by 1918. The Persons Case decision of 1929 declared that women were eligible for political office. Continued advocacy led to greater social and economic opportunities for women in the post-war period and beyond.

1. Women’s Rights
The suffrage movement
By 1901 universal (white) male suffrage existed in most of the industrialized
western countries.
In Canada, the US, Australia, and New Zealand
all (white) males over the age of majority could vote.

3. Women’s Suffrage
Alberta Provincial Women’s Christian
Temperance Union convention, Olds, Alberta
1913

4. The Woman’s movement pre
1900
• 1874 The Women’s Christian Temperance Union:
Formed originally to promote the prohibition of
alcohol later joined forces with the Canadian
Suffrage Association
• 1893 National Council of Women of Canada: Focused
on the needs of women and children
• 1897 Adelaide Hunter-Hoodless started the first
Woman’s institute promoting social reform and
better education for women

5. The affect of WWI on Women’s rights
• 1917: The Military voters Act took the vote away
from conscientious objectors and allowed all men
and women in the armed forces to vote in any riding
they chose
• This was followed by the Wartime Elections Act
which gave the vote to the widows, wives, mothers
and adult daughters and sisters of Canadian men
serving overseas.

6. Women’s Rights
• January 26, 1916 Nellie Mc Clung, Francis Beynon,
Lillian Thomas along with many other women won
the right to vote in Manitoba
• Saskatchewan followed two months later
• Alberta in April
• BC in 1917
• Ontario 1917
• On May 24, 1918 all female citizens over the age of
21 received the right to vote in federal elections.

7. Beyond WWI
• The following year, the women's suffrage
movement made great advances and women
became eligible for election to the House of
Commons. In 1921, Agnes Macphail became
the first woman to be elected to the House.

8. Women working during WW1,
while their husbands fought
overseas.

9. Persons Under the Law
• The decision of the Person’s Case: Under British common law
the status of women is this… “Women are persons in matters
of pains and penalties, but are not persons in matters of
rights and privileges.”
• Discouraged but not defeated Emily Murphy, the female
magistrate that started the fight and the “Famous Five”
(Nellie McClung, Louise Mc Kinney, Henrietta Edwards and
Irene Parlby) decided to appeal the decision to the Privy
Council in London.
• In October 1929, the Privy Council in London (the highest
court of appeal in Canada at that time) reversed the decision
of Canada’s Supreme court by declaring that “the word
persons includes members of the male and female sex… and
that women are eligible to be summoned and become
members of the Senate of Canada.”

11. Post WWII
• During the war, women had filled
the demand for labour taking on a
new role.
• Women became much more present
in the labour world after the war,
but mostly in limited space (clerical,
nursing, banking, textiles, light
industries, etc.) and usually only for
single women. Women were still
expected to stay home and take care
of children and were often barred
because they were married.
• Equal pay was a constant struggle

12. Women machinists at the Ford Motor Company plant in Dagenham took strike action on 7 June 1968 for equal
pay. The women won a pay increase to 92% of men's wages.
Credit:
Pat Mantle TUC Collection, London Metropolitan University

13. Changes for the Status of Women
• Women were ready for liberation. Feminism, became an
important movement.
• A dependable birth control pill, introduced in the early 1960’s
made it possible for women to delay or avoid having children.
This in turn made it possible for more women to compete
with men in the business world.
• Women’s groups campaigned for equal rights, equal
opportunities in the job market and an end to discrimination
based on sex.
• Prime Minister Pearson set up of Royal Commission on the
status of women, that was actually led by a woman, the first
federal commission ever to be chaired by a woman.

15. Reproductive Rights
• Abortion was illegal in Canada until 1969
• Between 1969 and 1988 abortions were only
performed under very restrictive circumstances and
remained a part of the criminal code
• The abortion issue was taken to the Supreme Court of
Canada by Henry Morgantaler, a doctor who wanted
to establish abortion clinics.
• In the R. v. Morgantaler case in 1988, Canada's
abortion law was struck down by the Supreme Court
using the right to life, liberty and security of the person
section of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

16. Time Line: The Road to political rights for
Women in Canada
1916 Women win the right to vote and hold political office in Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and Alberta
1917 Nurses serving in WWI and wives, widows, mothers, sisters and
daughters of soldiers extended the right to vote. Women win the right to
vote in BC and Ontario
1918 Women who are over 21 and are British subjects win the right to vote in
Nova Scotia and federal elections
1920 Dominion Elections Act allows women to run for election to parliament
1921 Agnes Macphail elected first female MP
1922 Women get the right to vote in PEI
1925 Women get the right to vote in Newfoundland
1928 Supreme Court of Canada rules unanimously that women are not
persons under the BNA act.
1929 British Privy Council overturns Supreme Court ruling and recognizes
women to be persons under the law
1930 Carnie Wilson first woman appointed to the Senate
1940 women over 21 get the right to vote in Québec
1960 the Aboriginal peoples of Canada gain the right to vote in Federal
Elections.
1970 Royal Commission on the Status of Women

17. • Changing definition of “Feminism”
• Emma Watson addresses the UN