Historical Essay: Women's Suffrage In Canada

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Women rights, probably one of the most controversial topics out there alongside race and religion. Many women deemed to be great historical figures and role models, while still being thought of as mere objects by some. But today the attention of women's suffrage will be brought into the light. On a crisp April's day I appear seated in my English class, surrounded by fellow classmates listening. Listening to an opportunity that one would find comes once in a lifetime. What might this spontaneous opportunity be you ask? “A Canadian historical essay”, I would reply to you, doing so with much enthusiasm. The essay topic that I have chosen out of the five options relates to how women were successful in being allowed to vote. This essay …show more content…

In Saskatchewan, there was little to no altercation on woman not being allowed to vote (some even agreeing upon this statement). Many tries were made to get women their right to vote but were shot down until discussed latter on. The Alberta-Saskatchewan division of Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) had offered the idea since 1904, as well as the signing of a WCTU pension in 1909 by the wife of Premier Walter Scott. But despite their efforts the issue was not discussed until 1912 by the Saskatchewan government. Some would call this stalling or ignoring a truly important matter at hand and instead of addressing the matter it was simply put off until later down the road. Later on, the Premier stated that although the government favoured women’s suffrage in principle, it would not act without proof of women wanting the right to vote in the first place. This statement given by the Premier was later on taken as a challenge and was taken up by Francis Marion Beynon, women’s editor of the Grain Growers’ Guide and her sister, Lillian Beynon Thomas, of the Winnipeg Free Press. The two then urged their readers to prove to the Premier that women indeed wanted the rights to vote and in turn, end women’s suffrage once and for all in Saskatchewan. They did so by asking their readers to write to the Premier to register their desire to vote. In just a couple months Premier Scott received

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