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Military Personnel
Parliament passed a bill, called the Military Voters Act, allowing those in the military (including Aboriginals, women and those under the age of 21) to vote. 2,000 female nurses became the first women to vote federally at the December election. Men with sons in the armed forces were granted franchise temporarily, even if they did not own land. -
Women
Women were considered the weaker sex, and it was believed that men were to make the political decisions. Married women could not own property, so not only were they excluded from the vote because of this, they were excluded because of their gender. After much petitioning, fight and protest (the Women's Suffrage), all Canadian women over the age of 21 were finally given the right to vote, granted they were not alien-born and met property requirements if their province demanded so. -
Chinese Canadians
Asians were strongly discriminated against, even after WWI ended. They were denied the right to vote until 1898, when the franchise was extended towards Asian Canadians. However, this right was taken away in 1920 when a new electoral law, stating that if a province discriminated against a group by reason of race, that group would also be excluded from the federal franchise. The Asian-Canadians regained the right to vote after WWII, as the discrimination reduced substantially. -
Japanese Canadians
Racial background was a huge discriminatory factor, especially in British Columbia, where many new Asian immigrants settled. The provincial government banned those of Japanese descent from voting in 1895. During WWII, the discrimination became more of a problem, adn the Japanese on the West Coast were relocated to internment camps. However, in 1949, after the war, Japanese Canadians regained their right to vote, becoming the last of the Asian Canadians to do so. -
Aboriginals
Aboriginals were offered enfranchisement earlier, however, doing so eliminated the treaty, therefore many did not accept. The 'movement' of Aboriginal enfranchisement was started partially in 1917 when those in the armed forces, including aboriginals, could vote. However, in 1960, all aboriginals, including those living on the reserve, could vote federally.
