Winning of the Vote by Women National Historic Event

A black and white image of four women sitting
Presentation of petition by Political Equality League for enfranchisement of women, Winnipeg, 23 December 1915.Footnote 2
© Archives of Manitoba / item # 173/3. Negative 9905

Winning of the Vote by Women was designated a national historic event in 1997.

Historical importance: Struggle of women to achieve the vote

Commemorative plaque: 364 Smith Street, Winnipeg, ManitobaFootnote 1

Democracy, political equality and full citizenship were all advanced when Canadian women won the right to vote in the early 20th century. Determined suffragists led the campaign for many years, supported by social reformers who saw the vote as the key to forwarding their own causes. A memorable moment in the struggle for suffrage was the "mock parliament" staged by women on 28 January 1914 in the Walker Theatre; the performance satirized the anti-suffragist views of male politicians. In January 1916, the government of Manitoba was the first to grant women the vote.

 

 

Black and white image of a woman sitting
Portrait of Nellie McClung, a women’s rights activist, legislator, and author, 1914
© Cyril Jessop, Library and Archives Canada, Acc. no. 1966-094, PA-030212
A mock parliament poster encouraging women to vote
The “mock parliament” was a particularly Canadian contribution to suffrage drama and suffrage campaigns. This poster was made by Parks Canada in 2003 to commemorate the National Historic Event that took place on January 28th, 1914 in the Walker Theatre.
© Parks Canada

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