"I am a believer in women, in their ability to do things and in their influence and power. Women set the standards for the world, and it is for us, women in Canada, to set the standards high" (www.famouscanadianwomen.com). These are wise words from Nellie McClung, Canadian feminist and social activist. In World War 1, women were a vital part of the war effort. Their contributions created an equal lifestyle for women in the modern world. The expectations and social roles women faced, pushed them to step up, and fight for what they believe in. The contributions of strong Canadian females, helped women gain respect for things they should already have. For example the right to vote, run for office, and just overall, being considered as an active
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This did not happen because it was still considered a "man’s world". In general, women did very well, surprising men with their ability to undertake heavy work with their efficiency, and just being threatened. By the middle of the war they were already regarded as a force to be reckoned with.
With the help of women the evolution of the war economy grew tremendously (www.warmuseum.com). Due to the combined demands of military service, industry, and agricultural, unemployment had virtually ceased in Canada in 1916, especially for women. There was an economic down side. With the troops returning from the war with their victorious win, many women found themselves surplus to labor in factories.
As women's rights continued to grow, in 1917, Robert Borden’s government passed on the "Wartime Elections Act" which gave women related to soldiers and nurses the right to vote in the federal elections, and removed the right to vote from the "enemy aliens". Although, through these acts, the right to vote was only granted to Canadian women for a limited of time, it was significant enough to provide a symbol of hope and inspiration for obtaining permanent suffrage in the future. This was one of the first few steps for the men to considered women allegeable to vote in Canada, even when there is a string attached …show more content…
A lot of women in Canada came together to protest on banning the sell of alcohol. The Christian Women's Temperance Union and the Anti-Saloon League were organizations that wanted prohibition to start in Canada and most of these individuals in the group were women. Women argued that excessive drinking by men ruined family life and led to much domestic violence. The political power and authority that women gained help get attention from the government. As the movement by the unions gained more support, provinces started passing laws and banned alcohol. Each province (except Quebec) enacts prohibition under the War Measure Act. This is significant because, if not for women contributing to war, men would not realize that women have a voice too. They gained the respect to stand up for what they believe in; in this case it was prohibition.
A big milestone in the rights of women is when they started to become more involved with political matters such as voting and being part of the government. Women gained the right to vote at a federal level in 1918. Prime Minister Robert Borden's help as he promised to grant women the right to vote federally if he was re-elected in office
This did not happen because it was still considered a "man’s world". In general, women did very well, surprising men with their ability to undertake heavy work with their efficiency, and just being threatened. By the middle of the war they were already regarded as a force to be reckoned with.
With the help of women the evolution of the war economy grew tremendously (www.warmuseum.com). Due to the combined demands of military service, industry, and agricultural, unemployment had virtually ceased in Canada in 1916, especially for women. There was an economic down side. With the troops returning from the war with their victorious win, many women found themselves surplus to labor in factories.
As women's rights continued to grow, in 1917, Robert Borden’s government passed on the "Wartime Elections Act" which gave women related to soldiers and nurses the right to vote in the federal elections, and removed the right to vote from the "enemy aliens". Although, through these acts, the right to vote was only granted to Canadian women for a limited of time, it was significant enough to provide a symbol of hope and inspiration for obtaining permanent suffrage in the future. This was one of the first few steps for the men to considered women allegeable to vote in Canada, even when there is a string attached …show more content…
A lot of women in Canada came together to protest on banning the sell of alcohol. The Christian Women's Temperance Union and the Anti-Saloon League were organizations that wanted prohibition to start in Canada and most of these individuals in the group were women. Women argued that excessive drinking by men ruined family life and led to much domestic violence. The political power and authority that women gained help get attention from the government. As the movement by the unions gained more support, provinces started passing laws and banned alcohol. Each province (except Quebec) enacts prohibition under the War Measure Act. This is significant because, if not for women contributing to war, men would not realize that women have a voice too. They gained the respect to stand up for what they believe in; in this case it was prohibition.
A big milestone in the rights of women is when they started to become more involved with political matters such as voting and being part of the government. Women gained the right to vote at a federal level in 1918. Prime Minister Robert Borden's help as he promised to grant women the right to vote federally if he was re-elected in office