Browse "People"

Article

Women in the Klondike Gold Rush

The Klondike Gold Rush of 1896–1899 drew about 100,000 people from around the world to the Klondike Region of Yukon. Women played a vital role in the gold rush, even though they are estimated to have made up no more than 10 per cent of Yukon’s population at the height of the stampede. While still responsible for both paid and unpaid domestic labour, women took on a variety of other roles in the Klondike, including prospecting, entrepreneurship, entertainment, sex work and nursing.

Editorial

Women on Canadian Banknotes

The following article is an editorial written by The Canadian Encyclopedia staff. Editorials are not usually updated. Though Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on the $20 bill since she was eight years old, identifiable Canadian women have only appeared on a Canadian banknote once. In 2004, the statue of the Famous Five from Parliament Hill and Olympic Plaza in Calgary, and the medal for the Thérèse Casgrain Volunteer Award were featured on the back of the $50 note. They were the first Canadian women to appear on our currency. However, in 2011, they were replaced by an icebreaker named for a man (see Roald Amundsen). The new bill was part of a series of notes meant to highlight technical innovation and achievement, but the change sparked controversy. Other than the image of a nameless female scientist on the $100 note issued in 2011, and two female Canadian Forces officers and a young girl on the $10 bill issued in 2001 , Canadian women were absent from Canadian bills. On 8 March 2016, International Women’s Day, the Bank of Canada launched a public consultation to choose an iconic Canadian woman who would be featured on a banknote, released in the next series of bills in 2018. More than 26,000 submissions poured in. Of those, 461 names met the qualifying criteria, and the list was pared down to a long list of 12 and finally a short list of five. The final selection will be announced on 8 December 2016. But how did we get here?

Article

Women's Suffrage in Canada (Plain-Language Summary)

Women’s suffrage means the right of women to vote in elections. Before Canada became a country in 1867, very few women had the right to vote. After 1867, no women had the right to vote. Only male property owners over the age of 21 had the right to vote. Women were not allowed to vote because most men believed that women should take care of the home and children. They should not get involved in politics. Politics was the realm of men. Another reason why most men did not think women should vote was that women were considered too emotional and could not serve in the military. (This article is a plain-language summary of Women’s Suffrage in Canada. If you are interested in reading about this topic in more depth, please see our full-length entry, Women’s Suffrage in Canada.)

Timelines

Women's Suffrage

Women in Canada obtained the right to vote in a sporadic fashion. Federal authorities granted them the franchise in 1918, more than two years after the women of Manitoba became the first to vote at the provincial level.

Timelines

Women's Suffrage in Atlantic Canada

Collection

Women's Suffrage in Canada

Women’s suffrage (or franchise) is the right of women to vote in political elections; campaigns for this right generally included demand for the right to run for public office. The women’s suffrage movement was a decades-long struggle intended to address fundamental issues of equity and justice and to improve the lives of Canadians.

Timelines

Women's Suffrage in the North

Timelines

Women's Suffrage in the West

Article

Won Alexander Cumyow

Won Alexander Cumyow (溫金有), activist and interpreter (born around 21 March 1861 in Port Douglas, BC; died 6 October 1955 in Vancouver). Won Cumyow was the first Chinese Canadian born in British North America, which became Canada. He knew several languages, which assisted his work as a Chinese community leader and court interpreter.

Article

Wonny Song

Wonny Song, pianist and artistic and executive director (born 6 April 1978 in Seoul, South Korea). Originally from South Korea, this Canadian pianist has received several prestigious awards and has played with many symphony orchestras around the world. Thanks to his many recordings and media presence, particularly on the radio, classical music has become accessible to and appreciated by the general public.

Article

Woodland Culture

 The Woodland culture comprises various cultural manifestations that took place mainly in southern Ontario and Québec between 3000 and 500 years Before Present (BP).

Table

Canadian World Curling Champions Men

Year Host Canadian Team Home Province Record Gold Medal Game 1959 Falkirk and Edinburgh, Scotland Ernie Richardson Arnold Richardson Garnet Richardson Wes Richardson Saskatchewan 5–0 N/A 1960 Falkirk and Edinburgh, Scotland Ernie Richardson Arnold Richardson Garnet Richardson Wes Richardson Saskatchewan 5–0 N/A 1961 Ayr, Falkirk, Perth and Edinburgh, Scotland Hector Gervais Ray Werner Vic Raymer Wally Ursuliak Alberta 4–2 Canada 12 Scotland 7 1962 Falkirk and Edinburgh, Scotland Ernie Richardson Arnold Richardson Garnet Richardson Wes...

Table

Canadian World Curling Champions Women

Year Host Canadian Team Home Province Record Gold Medal Game 1980 Perth, Scotland Marj Mitchell Nancy Kerr Shirley McKendry Wendy Leach Saskatchewan 10–1 Canada 7 Sweden 6 (11 ends) 1984 Perth, Scotland Connie Laliberte Christine More Corinne Peters Janet Arnott Manitoba 10–1 Canada 10 Switzerland 0 1985 Jönköping, Sweden Linda Moore Lindsay Sparkes Debbie Jones Laurie Carney British Columbia 9–2 Canada 5 Scotland 2 1986 Kelowna, BC Marilyn Bodogh-Darte Kathy McEdwards Christine Bodogh-Jurgenson Jan Augustyn...

Article

W.P. Kinsella

William Patrick (W.P.) Kinsella, OC, OBC, writer (born 25 May 1935 in Edmonton, AB; died 16 September 2016 in Hope, BC).

Article

Wray Downes

Rupert Arnold (Wray) Downes, jazz pianist, composer, arranger, conductor (born 14 January 1931 in Toronto, ON). Downes was the first Canadian to receive the British Empire (Overseas) Scholarship to the Trinity College of Music, London.