How_Women's_Rights_Have_Developed_in_Canada

CHC-2D1 Summative Essay Over the years, Canada has progressed in realizing, and devoting society to progressing women’s rights. Throughout Canada’s history, women’s voices have been heard and taken into consideration more throughout society. To begin, women were first given the right to vote in federal elections in 1918. Due to the fact that Sir Robert Borden, the Prime Minister of Canada during World War 1, did not believe that he would have the ability to be elected into Prime Minister position again, he passed a law that allowed women the ability to vote, which he believed would help him win the election so that he would be able to pass the law of Conscription. Once the war was over, women had already gained this vote in society it could not be taken away from them. Secondly, women gained the ability to speech in parliament and for their voices to be heard as members of parliament. Due to a long struggle, Agnes Macphail, was the first woman to be appointed in the House of Commons in 1921. Through this, women could have their voices accounted for and taken into consideration by all of Canada as a nation. Finally, During World War 1 and 2, women’s voices were heard throughout the workforce. With the men at war, there was no one to fill their jobs. The jobs were then left to the women to complete, and many women for the first time were given the ability to work overseas on the battle fields of the war, serving as nurses. As well, during World War 2, women were introduced to working with heavy machinery and many other conditions that before, would not be acceptable conditions for women to work under. It is through the evidence provided, that Canada has grown as a nation into accepting women’s voices to be heard and taken into consideration. Women gained many rights to work throughout the workforce in Canada’s history. To begin, women were first given the ability to work in World War 1, when there were very few men still in Canada to proceed with their jobs. This opened up many positions for women to uphold, being the first time that women were given the ability to work in Canada while receiving pay. Secondly, women were given the right during World War 2 to work under heavy conditions that would not be seen as suitable for women at that time. They worked under conditions of extreme heat, working as lumberjacks, operating large machinery, and dealing with artillery production for the war. As well, women were provided tax benefits as well as day care centers to help them while they were at work. The number of women who held permanent jobs in Canada rose from 6,000 women, to 1,200,000 after World War 2.Finally, during World War 2, the first Women’s Division was created to fight for Canadians. This was the first time that women saw action in the war. Over 17,400 women enrolled in Royal Canadian Air Force, 7,100 in the Royal Canadian Naval Service, and 21,600 in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps. This forever changed that the way women were perceived throughout the workforce. Finally, women in Canadian society have worked their way up to being accepted and treated equally to those of the opposite sex. Firstly, women gained the right to be accepted as “persons,” just as men had been. Five women from Alberta, known as the “Famous Five,” brought forth to the Canadian government the “Person’s Case” from which they believed that women should be called persons in society, just as men had been called. The Canadian government then turned down their case. Through this, the five women took their case to the British Privy Council, which was the highest in legal appeals for Canada at that time, and they accepted their case and declared that women would be called persons in Canada. Secondly, women were given the ability to divorce men due to the same reasons that men would divorce women, and through divorce, women were allowed to claim equal share of the properties that spouses owned together. Before this, women were not allowed to claim the properties in which they shared with a spouse, unless their spouse deemed otherwise, and were not allowed to divorce men due to abuse and their spouse being unfaithful. Finally, women came closer to being accepted in the same way that men did for receiving money for working, when the Canadian Human’s Rights Act was placed forth. This act gave women the ability to recieve equal pay for work of equal value to men, gave funded maternity leave to women, as well as gave equal work opportunities to women that men would have the opportunity to enroll in. Women have progressed a great amount in defining their equality rights. Due to the facts displayed, women have come a long way in defining their equality rights throughout Canada. Starting from getting their voices heard in society, to obtaining the ability to work and be heard in the workforce, and to gaining equality to men in daily life, Canada truly has come a long way to recognizing women’s rights.