Human Rights Timeline

  • Women Winning Rights

    Manitoba women became the first in Canada to win the rights to vote and to hold provincial office.
  • Given The Right

    The Dominion Elections Act gives the right to vote in federal elections to all adult Canadians, male and female. (However, the federal vote was not given to Aboriginal peoples, nor to visible minorities barred from provincial voters' lists,
    such as persons of Asian descent.)
  • Free Health Care

    Tommy Douglas becomes premier of Saskatchewan and enacts a “humanity first” policy in government, making available free health care to the poor and to senior citizens.
  • More votes

    Japanese Canadians receive the right to vote in federal elections.
  • No more executing

    The last executions take place in Canada.
  • Blind

    Ontario becomes the first province to pass a law guaranteeing a blind person
    the legal right to be accompanied by a specially trained dog guide in all facilities
    open to the public.