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World War I
When men went off to war, women stayed back and started working. Many women worked in munition factories. “According to the Imperial Munitions Board, about 35,000 women worked in munitions factories in Ontario and Quebec during the First World War,” (Chenier, Millette, Block, Yarhi). Women were also working in stores, factories, and offices. During the war they produced and conserved foods, and raised funds to invest in hospitals, ambulances, hostels, and aircrafts and volunteered a lot. -
Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy was the first ever women magistrate. She dealt with cases involving porstitution and juvenile offenders. The member of the Edmonton Local Council of Women tried to attend the trial of many women who were accused of prostitution and were not allowed in because the testimony wasn’t for both genders to attend. She was very mad and protested to the provincial Attorney General, which led to an offer to become a judge. -
Women's Suffrage
Suffrage was a decades-long struggle planned to change important issues of equality and justice, it was to help improve the lives of Canadian women and children. “Representative of more than justice in politics, suffrage represented hopes for improvements in education, healthcare and employment as well as an end to violence against women and children,” (Strong-Boag). Women who promoted suffrage were usually white women, many of them believed that suffrage would make Canada a better country. -
Women Voting In Federal Election
On May 24, it was official! All white women were allowed to vote in federal elections. By 1918, there were still many provinces that didn’t let women vote provincially. Women who were racially different, like Chinese-Canadian women were denied the right to vote. In order to vote, women were not allowed to be under the age of 21 or “alien-born.” -
Women can Hold Office for Parliament
In 1919, a law came out that women were allowed to hold office for Parliament. They received the right to be candidates in the next election. 1921 was the next election and four women ran, but only one woman, Agnes Macphail was elected. -
Agnes Macphail
Agnes Macphail was elected to Parliament in 1921, she served as Member of Parliament until 1940 for the riding of Grey South East. Just like any other MP, she had allies and admirers within and out of the house of Commons. Macphail advocated the rights of miners, immigrants, prisoners, women and many other groups throughout her career. -
Women aren't "persons"
In August 1927, Emily Murphy invited the other famous 4 women activists to her house, so they could make a petition to send to the Canadian Government. The petition was to change the meaning of the word “persons” in the BNA Act. The petition was signed on August 27, 1927 by the Famous Five. -
First Olympics Team to Include Women
The first ever time women were allowed to compete in the Olympics was at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. “Seven Canadian women participated in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics: one swimmer and 6 sprinters who were dubbed the The Matchless Six,” (Forster). Bobbie Rosenfeld, Jean Thompson, Ethel Smith, Myrtle Cook, Ethel Catherwood, and Florence Bell participated. They brought home 2 golds, a silver, and a bronze. -
Women Become "persons"
On October 18, 1929, under the Canadian law, women were announced as “persons”. The historic event was because of The Famous Five, Alberta women. The fight for this law started in 1916 when Emily Murphy became a judge and by 1927 many women supported her all across Canada.
