Women's Rights In Canada Research Paper

Imagine a nation where half of the populace is treated with the same respect as animals. A nation where the audacity of woman was suppressed in the face of political and socio-economical decisions. This very nation was Canada in the Laurier Era. As hard as it may be to believe this punitive truth, but the liberal values that Canada possesses now were most definitely not innate. Instead, they were built through a myriad of events with World War I definitely being the foremost of them all. World War I truly had a profound impact upon the history of women's right in Canada and aided in the creation of equality between the two genders. The ruthless and arduous toiling of women and their role in preserving Canada’s economic situation gave rise to

Since the 19th Century, women in Canada have fought political, legal, and social battles to find their place in Canadian society. From starting out in small, local organizations, to legal battles in the Supreme Court, Canadian women have come a long way. Unfortunately, it took a long time for many people to adapt to the changing roles of women, which made women still feel unequal compared to men. It is really striking to think that at one point society questioned if women could even be considered persons, just a small sample of the many changes women had to face through the course of history. This paper will analyze these changes experienced by Canadian women in that time period and how it affected their everyday lives.

Women were also allowed to get educations and go into teaching and nursing positions. The Person’s Case was another highlight which demonstrates the advancements of women’s right in Canadian history. This case included five women who ultimately help transform the way women were seen. Emily Murphy played a significant role in establishing women’s rights which led to women being called “persons” in matters of rights and privileges. Furthermore, another female Canadian named Nellie McClung helped in getting the right to vote for women. Ultimately resulting in the May 24th, 1918 Act allowing all women 21 years of age or more in Canada the official right to vote even if they did not have the provincial license. The war brought many changes to Canada and around the world. Women were finally being recognized for their efforts and perseverance and acquiring new freedoms and improved rights for themselves. During the 1920’s, women became more involved in society and continued to participate in the work force. Women continued to make half the earning men were making at that time but by 1929 women made up about 20% of the workforce. The Women’s Labour League worked to defend women workers and the labour movement. They exposed shortfalls in the minimum wage laws and fought for equal pay, maternity care and a women right for birth control. Women were finally making their mark in government. By 1939,

When America entered World War I, men went off to war, and women had to step in. They were recruited to what was seen as “men’s work”, such as postal workers, factory workers, railway guards, etc. Women were finally able to go to work, but equal pay was an ongoing issue from that point on. Women started to enjoy some basic rights that male citizens enjoyed but women were once denied. Rights such as being able to work and receiving an education, but they were still shut out, completely, from political activity.

Revised Thesis: The women’s suffrage movement opened many doors for the women of America and allowed them to achieve many objects they had never before thought of including: economic roles, political positions, and a place in social society.

In 1905, the Suffragists held meetings in run up to elections. In 1910 the NUWSS raised a petition and managed to get a staggering 280,000 signatures. Before World War I there were another group called the Suffragettes, they were known for their violence and destruction. In October 1903, a woman called Emmeline Panhurst set up a new society called WSPU, which stood for 'Women's Social and Political Union'. Also known as the Suffragettes.

Before 1918, women were considered to be very much within their own sphere of influence separate from men. Throughout the 19th century women had slowly been gaining voting privileges, but only in areas considered to be within their spheres such as the vote for school boards, the vote for poor law boards and the vote for county councils. Traditionally many historians have argued that the main reason for the enfranchisement of women in 1918 was their work during world war one. This view is being disputed on multiple levels; some argue that the war itself called for a rearrangement of the whole electoral system. Alternatively other historians argue that the work of the women's suffrage workers such as the suffragist's and the suffragettes,

The 1920s were a brutal time for Canada and most countries in the world. The Great War had just ended and soldiers were coming home to no work and minimal food. While the male soldiers were gone fighting the war, females took their place in factories, manufacturing war equipment and doing regular work that normally men would do. When the surviving soldiers came back, they were furious and wanted work to make money so most of the women were kicked out and replaced by the men. Women were obviously not happy about this and fought to make a change. One of the most notable feminists and successful female suffragists in Canadian history is Emily Murphy. She fought alongside four other feminists to create equal legal recognition as males and succeeded;

Canadian women had very hard lives. An average day consisted of housework and caring for ten to twelve children. There was always a high risk of death or disability during childbirth, or many newborns died at birth. Even their educational expectations were low after marriage because women didn't work outside, but in the 1900s, women made up 15 percent of undergraduates at universities, restricted from professions like law. But soon, a campaign for women's suffrage was born because of suffragists. A suffragist is a person who supports the rights of women. Most suffragists were middle-classed women who were devoted to social reform. They tried to persuade the government to franchise women's rights. Part of the suffragists were members of the Women's Christian

What was the most underrepresented social group in the elected assemblies of the world? whether is the minority ethnic, religious groups or the poor? According to Putman’s statistic, the answer was “women”. (Putnam 1976 cited in Megyery 1991) Statistics have shown that although women around the globe occupy more than one half of the population, very small proportion become political elite. Different from what women have encountered, man tends to dominate many spheres in life which includes electoral politics. Such gender disparity happens everywhere not just in Canada. Ever since Canadian women suffrage and the right to candidacy was achieved, they have made a couple strides in political arena, yet not as many as they wish with the existence of electoral glass ceiling standing

In the 1920’s women suffrage was a substantial impact because that year women gained the right to vote and run for office. It took activists and reformers nearly 100 years to win that right (“The Fight” par. 1). Before the Election Day in 1920, women didn’t have the right to vote or basically do anything a man could do. Women fought against the court and formed multiple groups until they made a change in the law, to let women vote. Many American women were tired of being known as an unimportant role in their generation. They were beginning to become annoyed with what historians referred them as which was “a pious, submissive wife and mother concerned exclusively with home and family” (“The Fight” par. 2). “All of these contributed to a new way of thinking about what it meant to be a women and a citizen in the United States”(“The Fight” par. 2). “The suffrage movement in the United States gained prominence with the first women’s rights convention in the world”(“Women’s Suffrage” par. 5). Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the convention in 1848. “American

During this time after the Seneca Falls Convention women earned many other rights. Women were now allowed to work outside the home. They worked at factories as sewers and others as nurses, and teachers. This wasn’t the type of freedom they wanted at first but they accepted it because it helped them get closer to their goal. It wasn’t till soon after anti-suffragist’s came into the picture. These “antis” pointed out that voting would be a burden on women. There were branches in over 25 states

During this time though, many changes had began. Women just got the right to vote, therefore

Throughout history, Canada’s identity has changed in many ways and there have been many historical events that have greatly shaped and impacted Canada’s history and identity. The Women’s Movement and women’s contribution in the past and throughout history has had the greatest impact on shaping Canada into what it is today. Among many identifying qualities like being multicultural, bilingual, and world leaders, Canada is also country that has changed immensely in the way of becoming a country that has learned to accept women, move towards providing them with equal opportunities and treating them equally. Through economic, social and political movements and actions, the contribution from women and the women’s movement have increased, changed and improved women’s rights and equality greatly. Women worked to create independence and equality economically through their contributions to war on the homefront in WWI resulting in greater workplace equality, socially through the actions of the Flappers in the 1920’s giving women currently, the confidence and strength that they need to speak up, and politically, through the work of the Suffragists including the Famous 5 to allow women to have the same political rights as men.

Women being able to vote was a huge step forward for Canadian women, but even though they could run for certain political positions, they could not be Senators. During the early twentieth century women were not legally considered “persons” and could not be Senators (Women become Persons). This act of exclusion portrayed Canada as an immature nation. A milestone with significant importance occurred in the Persons Case. The first constitution of Canada was the BNA Act (British North America Act). In this constitution it referred to a group of people as “persons” but when one individual was referenced they used the word ‘he”. The constitution restricted women from holding public office. (History Canadian resources book) The act declared that “women are persons in matters of pain and penalties, but are not persons in matters of rights and privileges.” Therefore, women could be given the same penalties as men for breaking a law, but could not receive the same basic benefits that men could. Unfair legalities like this proves that Canada was