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.
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Timelines
timeline
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.
timeline
Indigenous Suffrage
timeline
Women's Suffrage in the West
timeline
Women's Suffrage in Atlantic Canada
timeline
Women's Suffrage in the North
Education Guides
Women's Suffrage Education Guide and Worksheets
Education Guide
Gallery
![January 1907 Issue of Freyja, Suffragist Monthly Magazine]({"id":"12585","disk":"s3","directory":"media\/media","filename":"90f99bcc-7ffe-4fa1-9d63-84f1794594aa","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":100000,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2016-01-20T01:48:36.000000Z","updated_at":"2016-01-21T14:52:32.000000Z","alt":"January 1907 Issue of Freyja, Suffragist Monthly Magazine","title":"January 1907 Issue of Freyja, Suffragist Monthly Magazine","caption":"January 1907 issue of Freyja, a suffragist monthly magazine (courtesy Icelandic Collection, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba).","creator":"Icelandic Collection, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba","source":"Icelandic Collection, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/90f99bcc-7ffe-4fa1-9d63-84f1794594aa.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/90f99bcc-7ffe-4fa1-9d63-84f1794594aa.jpg","credit":"Icelandic Collection, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba","pivot":{"mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Collection","mediable_id":"35","media_id":"12585","tag":"gallery","order":1},"translations":[{"id":"10d1f1e9-c893-4316-9740-b10614e61883","media_id":"12585","title":"January 1907 Issue of Freyja, Suffragist Monthly Magazine","alt":"January 1907 Issue of Freyja, Suffragist Monthly Magazine","caption":"January 1907 issue of Freyja, a suffragist monthly magazine (courtesy Icelandic Collection, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba).","creator":"Icelandic Collection, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba","source":"Icelandic Collection, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba","locale":"en","credit":"Icelandic Collection, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba"},{"id":"9c3e9aa1-ca66-452c-8896-7fbc62748f0a","media_id":"12585","title":"Num\u00e9ro de janvier 1907 de Freyja, publication mensuelle des suffragettes","alt":"Num\u00e9ro de janvier 1907 de Freyja, publication mensuelle des suffragettes","caption":"Num\u00e9ro de janvier 1907 de Freyja, publication mensuelle des suffragettes (avec la permission de la collection islandaise, biblioth\u00e8que Elizabeth Dafoe, Universit\u00e9 du Manitoba).","creator":"Collection islandaise, biblioth\u00e8que Elizabeth Dafoe, Universit\u00e9 du Manitoba","source":"Collection islandaise, biblioth\u00e8que Elizabeth Dafoe, Universit\u00e9 du Manitoba","locale":"fr","credit":"Collection islandaise, biblioth\u00e8que Elizabeth Dafoe, Universit\u00e9 du Manitoba"}]} "January 1907 Issue of Freyja, Suffragist Monthly Magazine")
January 1907 Issue of Freyja, Suffragist Monthly Magazine
![1893 Petition by Woman’s Christian Temperance Union]({"id":"12587","disk":"s3","directory":"media\/media","filename":"7770f93e-7f5e-4cb8-b6ad-57df24227db6","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":100000,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2016-01-20T01:52:42.000000Z","updated_at":"2016-01-21T14:43:45.000000Z","alt":"1893 Petition by Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union ","title":"1893 Petition by Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union ","caption":"1893 Petition by Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union (courtesy Archives of Manitoba, LA 0009 Sessional Papers, GR0247, 32 Petition of A.M. Blakely et al [from Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union] re: Franchise for Women, 1893, G 7173). ","creator":"Archives of Manitoba","source":"Archives of Manitoba","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/7770f93e-7f5e-4cb8-b6ad-57df24227db6.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/7770f93e-7f5e-4cb8-b6ad-57df24227db6.jpg","credit":"Archives of Manitoba","pivot":{"mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Collection","mediable_id":"35","media_id":"12587","tag":"gallery","order":2},"translations":[{"id":"e66491d4-4852-4a99-b6ae-79274ce6141b","media_id":"12587","title":"1893 Petition by Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union ","alt":"1893 Petition by Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union ","caption":"1893 Petition by Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union (courtesy Archives of Manitoba, LA 0009 Sessional Papers, GR0247, 32 Petition of A.M. Blakely et al [from Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union] re: Franchise for Women, 1893, G 7173). ","creator":"Archives of Manitoba","source":"Archives of Manitoba","locale":"en","credit":"Archives of Manitoba"},{"id":"16a26924-6128-4569-80a1-c12fc11fc8ea","media_id":"12587","title":"P\u00e9tition de 1893 de la Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union","alt":"P\u00e9tition de 1893 de la Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union","caption":"P\u00e9tition de 1893 de la Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union (avec la permission des Archives du Manitoba, documents parlementaires LA 0009, GR0247, 32 P\u00e9tition d\u2019A.M. Blakely et al. [de la Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance Union] pour l\u2019\u00e9mancipation de la femme, 1893, G 7173).","creator":"Archives du Manitoba","source":"Archives du Manitoba","locale":"fr","credit":"Archives du Manitoba"}]} "1893 Petition by Woman’s Christian Temperance Union")
1893 Petition by Woman’s Christian Temperance Union
![“Votes for Women” pennant]({"id":"12600","disk":"s3","directory":"media\/media","filename":"88bab6f6-366c-45d5-be02-092e23d46e97","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":100000,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2016-01-20T02:30:39.000000Z","updated_at":"2016-01-20T22:08:40.000000Z","alt":"\u201cVotes for Women\u201d pennant","title":"\u201cVotes for Women\u201d pennant","caption":"<p>\u201cVotes for Women\u201d pennant (courtesy The Manitoba Museum, H9-38-198).<\/p>","creator":"The Manitoba Museum","source":"The Manitoba Museum","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/88bab6f6-366c-45d5-be02-092e23d46e97.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/88bab6f6-366c-45d5-be02-092e23d46e97.jpg","credit":"The Manitoba Museum","pivot":{"mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Collection","mediable_id":"35","media_id":"12600","tag":"gallery","order":3},"translations":[{"id":"1a3320ee-c956-4c04-b95b-4dd9747e1a2c","media_id":"12600","title":"\u201cVotes for Women\u201d pennant","alt":"\u201cVotes for Women\u201d pennant","caption":"<p>\u201cVotes for Women\u201d pennant (courtesy The Manitoba Museum, H9-38-198).<\/p>","creator":"The Manitoba Museum","source":"The Manitoba Museum","locale":"en","credit":"The Manitoba Museum"},{"id":"f5c507ba-e5bc-4730-a5d4-eb28550b83b7","media_id":"12600","title":"Fanion \u00ab Votes for Women \u00bb (Droit de vote pour les femmes)","alt":"Fanion \u00ab Votes for Women \u00bb (Droit de vote pour les femmes)","caption":"Fanion \u00ab Votes for Women \u00bb (avec la permission du Mus\u00e9e du Manitoba, H9-38-198).","creator":"Mus\u00e9e du Manitoba","source":"Mus\u00e9e du Manitoba","locale":"fr","credit":"Mus\u00e9e du Manitoba"}]} "“Votes for Women” pennant")
“Votes for Women” pennant
![Political Equality League Presents Petition, 1915]({"id":"12601","disk":"s3","directory":"media\/media","filename":"caad1258-7b0d-4136-b1c8-919fb7b00f33","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":100000,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2016-01-20T02:29:25.000000Z","updated_at":"2016-01-20T22:10:03.000000Z","alt":"Political Equality League Presents Petition, 1915 ","title":"Political Equality League Presents Petition, 1915 ","caption":"Presentation of petition by the Political Equality League for the enfranchisement of women, 23 December 1915. Clockwise from top left: A.V. Thomas, F.J. Dixon, Amelia Burritt, Dr. Mary Crawford (courtesy Archives of Manitoba, Events 173\/3, N9905).","creator":"Archives of Manitoba","source":"Archives of Manitoba","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/caad1258-7b0d-4136-b1c8-919fb7b00f33.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/caad1258-7b0d-4136-b1c8-919fb7b00f33.jpg","credit":"Archives of Manitoba","pivot":{"mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Collection","mediable_id":"35","media_id":"12601","tag":"gallery","order":4},"translations":[{"id":"fc3c6f9c-aaf5-46a5-9a0f-3bf313fc794e","media_id":"12601","title":"Political Equality League Presents Petition, 1915 ","alt":"Political Equality League Presents Petition, 1915 ","caption":"Presentation of petition by the Political Equality League for the enfranchisement of women, 23 December 1915. Clockwise from top left: A.V. Thomas, F.J. Dixon, Amelia Burritt, Dr. Mary Crawford (courtesy Archives of Manitoba, Events 173\/3, N9905).","creator":"Archives of Manitoba","source":"Archives of Manitoba","locale":"en","credit":"Archives of Manitoba"},{"id":"496e0299-54b3-496e-ab84-d83cbd681526","media_id":"12601","title":"La Political Equality League pr\u00e9sente une p\u00e9tition, 1915","alt":"La Political Equality League pr\u00e9sente une p\u00e9tition, 1915","caption":"Pr\u00e9sentation d\u2019une p\u00e9tition par la Political Equality League pour l\u2019\u00e9mancipation de la femme, 23 d\u00e9cembre 1915. Dans le sens horaire \u00e0 partir du coin sup\u00e9rieur gauche : A.V. Thomas, F.J. Dixon, Amelia Burritt, Dre Mary Crawford (avec la permission des Archives du Manitoba, \u00e9v\u00e9nements 173\/3, N9905).","creator":"Archives du Manitoba","source":"Archives du Manitoba","locale":"fr","credit":"Archives du Manitoba"}]} "Political Equality League Presents Petition, 1915")
Political Equality League Presents Petition, 1915
![]({"id":"12721","disk":"s3","directory":"media\/media","filename":"7bfa6815-73b0-41fe-a139-5fd93865ccc3","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":100000,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2016-02-07T18:37:09.000000Z","updated_at":"2016-11-24T14:56:49.000000Z","alt":"","title":"","caption":"National Council of Women at Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Ontario, October 1898.","creator":"","source":"(William James Topley. Library and Archives Canada, PA-028033)","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/7bfa6815-73b0-41fe-a139-5fd93865ccc3.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/7bfa6815-73b0-41fe-a139-5fd93865ccc3.jpg","credit":"(William James Topley. Library and Archives Canada, PA-028033)","pivot":{"mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Collection","mediable_id":"35","media_id":"12721","tag":"gallery","order":5},"translations":[{"id":"9c811c02-6d21-41e4-870d-af2a83962c4c","media_id":"12721","title":"","alt":"","caption":"National Council of Women at Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Ontario, October 1898.","creator":"","source":"(William James Topley. Library and Archives Canada, PA-028033)","locale":"en","credit":"(William James Topley. Library and Archives Canada, PA-028033)"},{"id":"fd1220b6-7675-4372-9e88-28a0b0c5584b","media_id":"12721","title":"Conseil national des femmes ","alt":"Conseil national des femmes ","caption":"\u00c0 Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Ontario, octobre 1898.","creator":"","source":"(William James Topley. Biblioth\u00e8que et Archives Canada, PA-028033)","locale":"fr","credit":"(William James Topley. Biblioth\u00e8que et Archives Canada, PA-028033)"}]}){kind=spacer}
![Nursing Sisters, 1917]({"id":"12723","disk":"s3","directory":"media\/media","filename":"51079001-dcca-4126-9416-d7ded26b6ce7","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":100000,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2016-02-07T18:40:19.000000Z","updated_at":"2016-02-23T15:09:45.000000Z","alt":"Nursing Sisters, 1917","title":"Nursing Sisters, 1917","caption":"Nursing Sisters at a Canadian hospital voting in the Canadian federal election, France, December 1917.","creator":"","source":"William Rider-Rider. Canada. Department of National Defence. Library and Archives Canada, PA-002279 ","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/51079001-dcca-4126-9416-d7ded26b6ce7.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/51079001-dcca-4126-9416-d7ded26b6ce7.jpg","credit":"William Rider-Rider. Canada. Department of National Defence. Library and Archives Canada, PA-002279 ","pivot":{"mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Collection","mediable_id":"35","media_id":"12723","tag":"gallery","order":6},"translations":[{"id":"437da60a-faf5-4a5a-a608-3239e0a2fbc6","media_id":"12723","title":"Nursing Sisters, 1917","alt":"Nursing Sisters, 1917","caption":"Nursing Sisters at a Canadian hospital voting in the Canadian federal election, France, December 1917.","creator":"","source":"William Rider-Rider. Canada. Department of National Defence. Library and Archives Canada, PA-002279 ","locale":"en","credit":"William Rider-Rider. Canada. Department of National Defence. Library and Archives Canada, PA-002279 "},{"id":"f2a6f4d6-70ae-426f-b5be-cb2058d3301d","media_id":"12723","title":"Les infirmi\u00e8res militaires du Canada, 1917","alt":"Les infirmi\u00e8res militaires du Canada, 1917","caption":"Les infirmi\u00e8res militaires dans un h\u00f4pital canadien, votant durant l\u2019\u00e9lection f\u00e9d\u00e9rale canadienne, France, d\u00e9cembre 1917.","creator":"","source":"William Rider-Rider. D\u00e9fense nationale Canada. Biblioth\u00e8que et Archives Canada, PA-002279 ","locale":"fr","credit":"William Rider-Rider. D\u00e9fense nationale Canada. Biblioth\u00e8que et Archives Canada, PA-002279 "}]} "Nursing Sisters, 1917")
Nursing Sisters, 1917
![The National Council of Women]({"id":"12726","disk":"s3","directory":"media\/media","filename":"569d6d96-ffeb-485f-aa88-98b968b29e2a","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":100000,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2016-02-07T18:39:24.000000Z","updated_at":"2016-03-07T18:02:06.000000Z","alt":"The National Council of Women","title":"The National Council of Women","caption":"Including Lady Aberdeen (centre), Ottawa, Ontario, May 1898.","creator":"","source":"(William James Topley. Topley Studio. Library and Archives Canada, PA-028008)","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/569d6d96-ffeb-485f-aa88-98b968b29e2a.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/569d6d96-ffeb-485f-aa88-98b968b29e2a.jpg","credit":"(William James Topley. Topley Studio. Library and Archives Canada, PA-028008)","pivot":{"mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Collection","mediable_id":"35","media_id":"12726","tag":"gallery","order":7},"translations":[{"id":"6d211d59-f4f9-4b19-8938-f1bd55250aa7","media_id":"12726","title":"The National Council of Women","alt":"The National Council of Women","caption":"Including Lady Aberdeen (centre), Ottawa, Ontario, May 1898.","creator":"","source":"(William James Topley. Topley Studio. Library and Archives Canada, PA-028008)","locale":"en","credit":"(William James Topley. Topley Studio. Library and Archives Canada, PA-028008)"},{"id":"96c0418c-d146-4b71-bc11-ced25f1fa1ac","media_id":"12726","title":"Le Conseil national des femmes du Canada","alt":"Le Conseil national des femmes du Canada","caption":"Photographie incluant Lady Aberdeen (au centre), Ottawa, Ontario, mai 1898.","creator":"","source":"(William James Topley. Studio Topley. Biblioth\u00e8que et Archives Canada, PA-028008)","locale":"fr","credit":"(William James Topley. Studio Topley. Biblioth\u00e8que et Archives Canada, PA-028008)"}]} "The National Council of Women")
The National Council of Women
![Thérèse Casgrain]({"id":"13370","disk":"s3","directory":"media\/media","filename":"0160ac95-9773-4534-a27c-b30d1670fb32","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":100000,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2016-06-08T18:52:36.000000Z","updated_at":"2016-06-08T18:52:36.000000Z","alt":"Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain","title":"Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain","caption":"Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain, third from the left; her daughters, Ren\u00e9e and H\u00e9l\u00e8ne; her mother, Lady Forget; and Mrs. Laviolette, September 1941","creator":"","source":"John Powis. Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain. Library and Archvies Canada, PA-178164","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/0160ac95-9773-4534-a27c-b30d1670fb32.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/media\/media\/0160ac95-9773-4534-a27c-b30d1670fb32.jpg","credit":"John Powis. Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain. Library and Archvies Canada, PA-178164","pivot":{"mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Collection","mediable_id":"35","media_id":"13370","tag":"gallery","order":8},"translations":[{"id":"8b8ee696-49b5-4d50-8f85-8a2b75951275","media_id":"13370","title":"Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain","alt":"Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain","caption":"Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain, third from the left; her daughters, Ren\u00e9e and H\u00e9l\u00e8ne; her mother, Lady Forget; and Mrs. Laviolette, September 1941","creator":"","source":"John Powis. Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain. Library and Archvies Canada, PA-178164","locale":"en","credit":"John Powis. Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain. Library and Archvies Canada, PA-178164"},{"id":"dfcb5c99-2034-4234-9c5b-b8ec63ee0141","media_id":"13370","title":"Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain","alt":"Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain","caption":"Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain, 3e \u00e0 partir de la gauche, ses filles, Ren\u00e9e et H\u00e9l\u00e8ne, sa m\u00e8re, Lady Forget, et Mme Laviolette, septembre 1941\r\n ","creator":"","source":"John Powis. Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain. Biblioth\u00e8que et Archives Canada, PA-178164","locale":"fr","credit":"John Powis. Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Casgrain. Biblioth\u00e8que et Archives Canada, PA-178164"}]} "Thérèse Casgrain")