November 21, 2003 Women in Politics - Then & Now

Nellie McClung (1873-1951) the outstanding activist who led the fight for women's rights including the right to vote and to run for office made some profound statements in 1929. She said, "We may live to see the day when women will no longer be news!" In recent years this hope has been realized - no one questions women in politics today and they have been leaders in every political arena. Later in this article I will look at the involvement of women in the recent municipal election and see if Nellie's admonition that "we object to barriers, just as range horses object to fences" became true. One reference summarized the role of many women in the early days of the last century as having "lives filled with endless toil, too numerous pregnancies, cumbersome clothes and second class citizenship." The Election Act of the Dominion stated that "no women, idiot, lunatic, or child" could vote.

Early Voters List in Chisholm Township for Poll #2 - 84 men - no women.

Nellie McClung was just one of many women who fought for women's rights in politics, the professions and at home. Women's rights were curtailed around the world and there were efforts at reform in other countries. In Britain under Sylvia Pankhurst and others progress was made that had an impact here. If the history of women's rights was a clock and today was midnight women's greatest achievements have come at a few seconds to midnight and many women around the world are still restricted. 

Nellie was a part of an early feminist movement variously called Moral, Maternal, or Social Feminism. The emphasis was not on the equality of women in all aspects of society as "equality feminism" was later. It was concerned with better health care, prohibition, benevolent societies, women's institutes, cultural activities etc. Men accepted these activities because women were "civilizing society and fulfilling their womanly roles".

Nellie helped form many women's organizations including the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada which enhanced the burgeoning Women's Institute movement which was developing everywhere including the Nipissing and Parry Sound Districts.

When Nellie McClung challenged the Premier of Manitoba on the right to vote he made a statement that characterized the attitude of many men. He said, "I don't want a hyena in petticoats talking politics to me. I want a nice gentle woman to bring me my slippers." He lost the next election and on January 27, 1916 Manitoba became the first province to give women the vote. The other provinces soon followed, although Quebec didn't do it until 1940. The Federal Government agreed in 1918.

One barrier was the Canadian Senate where the powers that be quoted the British North America Act which said that only persons could be Senators, and that did not include women. This now sounds ridiculous. Nellie McClung and 4 other women used an obscure part of the BNA Act that said that 5 citizens could mount a challenge. They did and they won. Nellie by the way moved to Alberta where she became a Member of Parliament and continued to fight along with dozens of other women for women's rights.

Stories similar to the fight by women for recognition in politics took place in other areas of society leading to the progress of today. At a personal level I recall the pride and inspiration my mother had in my hometown of Port Colborne where she was the secretary of an early woman lawyer Helen Kinnear. Kinnear went on to be Canada's first King's Counsel and Judge and the first woman to present a case before both the Ontario and Canadian Supreme courts. http://library.lsuc.on.ca/GL/Crossing%20the%20Bar/panel5.htm My mother became politically active and had several letters from politicians thanking her for her work in their campaigns. One was from Sheila Copps who became Canada's first woman Deputy Prime Minister. My mother was the greatest influence in my 50 years of public service.

For more on great Canadian women leaders in all fields check the National Library of Canada website "Celebrating Women's Achievements" at http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/2/12/index-e.html

Politics Now

Women play a major role today in Ontario politics as the recent Provincial and Municipal Elections show. In the rest of this article let's look briefly at Municipal politics. Clearly not as many women as men ran but those that ran did well. Women have been successful Mayors and Reeves across Ontario. Mississauga, Kingston, Ottawa, Timmins & Toronto etc. have had outstanding women mayors. The woman Mayor of London was re-elected. Collete Wilson did a great job in Mattawa for years. In the recent election Joanne Savage became the first woman mayor of West Nipissing. In a list of 19 races south of North Bay, 3 women were acclaimed in Mayor/Reeve races, another went from councillor to reeve, and one ran directly and won for a total of 5 of 19 or 26% (percentages are rounded).

Chisholm Township Mayor Barb Groves (L) and Councillor Catherine O'Banion.

In these 19 municipalities 173 people ran and 36 were women (21%). It appears that if women run they often win since 24 of the 36 who ran won (67%). Twelve of the 24 who won were incumbents, suggesting that if they win they do a good job and get reelected. Women were evident in almost all communities except one where no women ran and there are no women on council. Armour and Perry Townships had a woman running but they lost so their councills do not have women on board. Sixteen of the 19 councills here have at least one woman (84%). Of all of the 80 elected positions 24 or 30% were women. North Bay Councill has 3 of its 10 winners women.

In Chisholm where I live there were 4 women on councill at one point last term. This time current Mayor Barb Groves who was the first woman to run and win 20 years ago was acclaimed and incumbent Catherine O'Banion was elected (see photo). An old Chisholm Voters list (shown here) had 84 eligible voters - all men and all property owners showing how things have changed.

There are several reasons why women who make up half of the population are not proportionally represented but it is clear that women are playing an increasingly important role and that their presence in politics and elsewhere in society is one of the great achievements at the end of the last millennium.