SETTLER SUFFRAGISTS: CONTEXTS, CAUSES, OBSTACLES ‘Wehave srl begradgidthe time we ve had to spend cousing pleading, restoning pesion- ing “teeing” people spitting for something which was ous by every weight and artice and which should never bare been ten sway et goto an all-white setdement There ae ‘oo many fet lack ees ad igh check bones here {ke thom vey well when they belong to the neighbor chileen, bt I woald no ike them in my grand-chlden We ame hers fo, for the chien she nt ous, awl do ot neisansca which apere inthe Gu esc for them evey wy. cual abe wnt aecuizanern wasacase was won in pintone ity, Jn toe te noir ofa hone Gates) thera Maisie rm age wee fer he death of er the she attended te tbc rpanage adage cpa aed 2 fom te aes is Non esata ther ‘cle, ve id stan ry gopher on pate, Invi, Wars Tespeced alist ad esr set moe than twety-ineter lren despite having oo cst cr raning water She nde fut guages: ene i, Soleauand lsh Te 965 fra elation ws he scone inwhichake wr prt totes esther alten a agus inthe 965 eel and ashton electons {hd oe nk hs he anh tvesened ety Viewed in 1965s war ace, What dy fer ma ne Endecott This seomplhe nels woman was nal st other aalt if cae the chic fen ha sgh nd the mos cil means nse ons ¢ecngthelaw ad police tt gover them, Tats an ter ‘ats Pst ations peopl ith te exception oe ova vote in anitab fom 0s) wre dented ue oe fidence ofthe long shows of colonia ah ac, to themes ofthis took The words nthe second epigarh shove, which were sit by Lat Mooaey to Joa Mooney ele clang’ paren) when he amily ord fo Mtb oa Ontario fn 850 expe dtermiation of test ce slovite spces for hmsles The ster cliente | ‘took work and time, and the process was aided by denying the anehise to Fst Nations. ‘The founding indigenous nations on the Prairies wer the Plains Cree (Nehiyawal), Nakoda Oyadedt (Assiniboine), Saulteaux/ Paine Ojibway (Anishinaabel, Dakota, Lakots, Stoney-Nakeds, sarcee (euvtina), and Blackfoot (Nitsitapisin, which are divided into the Blackfoot (ksi), Blood (Kanai) and Poigan (Pikani) othe not, in the subarctic regions oF what beeame the thee Praise provinces, were the Woodland Cree and the Dene. By the nineteenth century the Metis people were also a ower presence in the West Settlement ofthe Prairies proceeded following the suppres- ion of the Metis resistance in Manitoba in 1869-70, the treaties with Fist Nations in the 1870s, and the survey of the land into sections, townships and ranges, First Nations were obliged to rake their permanent homes on small eserves, and thoy were henceforth subject tothe ministration ofthe federal Depatt- rent of Indian Affaire andthe 1876 Indian Act. By the time of the 1869 transfer of Rupert's Land from the Hudson's Bay ‘Company tothe government of Canada ther numbers had been considerably reduced by a recent smallpox epidemic ‘Demographic information for Indigenous peoples ofthe West in the 1870s aught with problems The 1579 Red River census didnot inlude Firs Nations people and the 871 Cazadian cen sus didnot encompass Manitoba or the North-West Teritores. ‘The federal Department of the Interior ~ and after 1880, the Department of Indian Affaire ~ accumulated statistics, but these too were limited and problematic, in 3871, im the province of Manitoba andthe North-West Teritones, there were estimated to be 20,866 Fits Nations people with an addtional 4820 inthe northerly posts such as Albany and Moose Factory, fora total of 254686, At Red Rives, in 1870, 40,000 ofthe 22,900 residents werereported tobe Metis with the French Mein the majority by ap- proximately 1,600, When the Metis of Red River at ded tee «estimate of Fist Nations, the total umber of indigenous people inis7ais35,686, Land outside of First Nations reserves was surveyed into sec: ions, townships and ranges after which twas made avalable | 4 sil for fe to male setters nda vey ew women Sele B ‘ment began mest intensively In Manitoba and oozed west witha i: |, British Ontarian foundation established in each province. Men- i | moles from ssn and Kander ave inthe 170 lowed | by Scandinavians, Germans, Ukrainians, Belgians, Finns, Hun- srians Poles, Americens and a host of ethers. The peiod of the \ ‘most dramatic expansion inthe West was from 390 0192, wten i ‘the population of Manitoba grew by 170 percent, Saskatchewan by ‘ 530 percent and Alberta by 500 percent. ‘Anyone who has lived in he Fase provinces knows that racism 4s deeply embedded in thei political cltare As the Canadian ‘ation was ors, inequality lay init very bones. fundamental Dali was that white men were entitled to more ad diferent rights than others. Those atthe margins, deemed incapable of ering the franchise and exded though property qualia ins and notlons of personhood helped to define the satus of ‘thoset the centre of power white male seer cizens. o,_ Men and women whom the nian Act defined as indlan were 2S ed tetra powcr ve Foon fee i Soshatchewan. Asin other settler eons, Indigenous peoples were dispossessed when eters aed to stay and established 3 permanent homeland by engineering the marginalization ofthe gal nants Theories hao bedi lt : ‘cal power to safeguard eetler dominance. The Indian Act was tated to ensure that to indian coud vote an excason that was { never explained during the tray negation of the 8705 Pst ations en and women old ot nly ownay reserve Hind and dno pay tne Ting vay th Tad proving them with» opportunities townland and sting commen “yard eserves anata they couldnot meet he an- ‘Reepropty gualliaton. A caudate adn Act declared Din could aque den pvement homestead rato Go ace vieg served teeter ales an a Fowcategory of ster eae wows with ese. ional were wed to enya sige Ian 885 outmost tte inner flared ndan stage san encroachment on he ples fernaniaeehhanennhotiotbre and preg of cilaed eectorof he Domina age Acorn an 886 cio led oda oe hey tha the te clzes, though Beneveen, absurd” To pve Indigenous popes the vote weld be thtng oll power ere esky incapable ig fr he mf ‘hewer hnglbetocenferbesngeon he ponies” | ‘nd he trace nd heeds nang atl eed de under ofa nde Sah Ti cn of it ar coe em ‘of gender allowing any man or unmarried woman over the age ‘sane twa hen po apy ron ‘Bement Onc ll the meer eements bad been Met very yas appa ced oben ude ea Fer Fs atons pope tookavanag of is oan ute to Cntanchsemen. ‘ong atlclons wereaded as etlement proceed while slag "new steal the rvgesf he ances ea 2 Seas pole” Une be ze Hab i a as Se et mea tl Te Mes ad negstitl te tems o Mala wth Canada no ou eneeed hel oa = {neg st Nansen bower weteexadad iz Manitoba ‘nye wie elton dead that pens who can etereles or ten elton of menber ts th Leite || A inched al"ndans or pesoeftdunoc eee | __Segananely fm ne aon’ cha pear Becold be fined five hundred dollars or sentenced to a prison term of ‘welts Bar Mat ate ey menacing the ar Of eters dan Stent noch of Winey ad voted ‘Thai oh acs ad ben fended nt gre ‘dy a ana oye wo conmeatdin ss hat eat \ seen tay mas who noses dealt unde ‘held ect of we eset Bs pene tek txceptons to pte soon Snapped, Oe he Depart find As gone on hcplementing the 87 nan 4 renee rerdens wee eluded fom won et thy tok the orto rst entanchsemet nd pole a wee dined a nan halo epresnatn ay eplae i rnb i Tes ete over th een nee demons ht i legislators, including Prime Minister John A. Macdonald, intended |) teluea it tons people a te Wet fom the roped i france The was ene he oe sald nace thw ofthe str Tt excn complemented ears ofimpealcntoltngepled nthe We tnghihe cme Sn ofthe Canada Fe alway (ea an he soprestos ofthe Me sance ohn 805 qa om eet ‘rth ew fdr gua ere onion of oie oF ain agin many of whom were lying ut tov sed aan hat hwo war ney te \ spanner fee tie Aen le | 4 Under aos n and amendments othe Indian Act Pz nda Ac voting (C285 sige within sere communities stayed extasively le un | go 1951. Me majority of male members who were iwenty-one and \G le cou eee the reserves chief and soup Similar oly || the colleicos alses snk as pemaneny sereneing veo un secre ad which rete esdnt ere fequentlpresred {Cr Aonpide the intonation plier od ates {ished he bedam and Indepenfenee of ndgenus women ix SrSfnret chon them stil wineeand motets Tet Thnepreetaton the des and chats of en tiralind ‘Rehr These depins and oes ha ct nds ‘Shan ar one motes ning in mor permet te moet ventions women dd not negotiator gm rts noighoe Te oer ie er women were someting ‘hone as witnesses Ye they ada deep iaflacce on the Prcetige one no sent undenteed els ndipnnes Tome, comer! obs custodians hela pled ie Shek suthry of Iigenous men atest neptslons,pet- ‘tinge fers ead sn sel TRO ‘bio connllos Paes societies wee selon female Tomes od eglSant owes authoreyand independence: hey _were lised (0 speaking up. This was illustrated in an 1885 meet- ing fetecr bide gonl rederick Midleton and the Cree dr tslatanapivsendhis ope An cley ree noma ‘sted former he people to which Midleton rep, We Sowtinento women’ When aoe liad Thenhow et that ones forthe goverment of the country cme om 3 (Quetta oops iestepped the coin by ‘Sonving tat the guesses were eh “he tery of wey women ll sats with epee the sence fer pi shyt ened cle We do at kot trey women vo mand oars Nats men ab theslet thaadansetay aidan At adtheighio vote once rale suffrage was achieved on the Prairies, Until the Indian Act war shended in 3953. realy woman who"marid out was still Tred to amis Inset monies and ents pid to ote tr ldo is ey tat women wn ciety Py stents wuld hve been pac on he oe Ist Howeve heyot OURS py svExY Law on atour an JUSTICE oul commute their treaty money at anytime and accept pay- ‘ment often years annuities instead Those who did would have ada strong case to be added tothe voter lit. Whether this ‘occured remains part of the Canadian suifage story sil to be recovers Restricting and refasioning Indigenous women was central to the settle coonial scheme. torts todo so over many decades were deliberate and relentes. Within thei nations they didnot told he infra sta alg noIndienous woe Under Ger Tavs, women could leave unhappy marriages and {ind new spouses, without censure or recrimination Divorce was ‘sly obtained, and remarriage was accepted and expected. Un- >appinets, incompatibility, abuse, or fae by the man to work hard and provide were sufficient causes for separation, Early- ninteenth-centary observers stressed that the ease with which an Indigenous wife could leave her husband greatly abridged his Power over her Divorced Indigenous women kept her property and etained or shared custody ofthe children, Such options en- ‘couraged ood conduct on the part of men Al of these rights, however, were denied the Indigenous women who came ander British common law and fan Afar scrutiny. (Sattler women had freedoms, opportunities, and privileges ‘that were denied to Indigenous women living under the reserve and indian Act regime. But they were simultaneodsly subject to strict patriarchal controls and discipline offering them litle ower public domains. Female setlers would wait fr many decades toacauie access to divorce and custody, to have remar- Hage ten as acceptable and respectable and to have laws into- ced that ensured s share of matrimonial property. Such grins ‘were central goals of many ofthe activist festared in his book = ‘Although colonialism tried to create sharp distinctions between Indigenous and settler peoples, Western Canada, particularly (Manitoba, defied such neat categorizations. Two centuries of Sntermartage before Canada acquired Rupert's Land resulted in ‘large and powerful Mets population who protested this trans- ferin the 1969-70 sesance; the Metis, who had not been con~ sulted, feared for thelr land and thei religious and language tights. Led by Louis Rel, they established a provisional govern sent in 1870 ~ the Legislative Assembly of Assniboia ~ and drew upa list of rights, Riel and his supporters knew the power of the franchise During the provisional govemiment’ debate on vot~ ing TghTS, he state, "We must seok to preserve the existence of ‘our own people Wemust ney ur own actallow ourselves tobe swamped" In 1670, thelr government negotiated with Ottawa regarding the tenms of Manitoba entry into Confederation. In February 2870, the provisional government agreed, after much debate, “that every man inthe county (xcept uncivilized and ‘unsettle inlail who Has attained the age of 21 yeas and every ‘rlsh subject a stranger to this countzy, who has resided thee year in this country, and is a householder, shall Rave aright to vole" The sole member whe asked aboat women votes was met wrth laughter and ignored Section 17 of the Manitoba Act, a ented oon 12 May 1870, entiied ‘every male person ..2)OF they fallage of twenty-one years and not subject to any legal incapac fnye2} subject of Her Majesty by birth or naturalization: 3) Anda ona fide howsehoer.. forone year nex before the sid date" to ‘oteforamember to serveinthe Legislative Assembly, “The Metis remained a powerful politica force inthe ate nine- teenth century in Manitoba and the Wesjohn Norguay)Mani~ fiefs tohn piel rom 178 03887, wae Mis, SB he sometimes yj spoke Cree and wore mocrasins in the legislature His Mets wie, “lzabeth (ne Setter), proudly wore beautiful beadwork. Other Metis men were also elected tothe Manitoba legislature. Lous Rial was elected to the House of Commons fom Manitabain 1873, and 1874. Concern about the power of the “alf-breed vote" the ‘Wiest continued well nt the ist decade ofthe twentieth century.‘Metisand First Nations women atended openings ofthe erly Manitoba legislature “nal their Indian finery ~ Hudsons Bay blankets, feathers, beads” So too did the Indigenous wives of politicians Qonsld A. Smith Lord Swathcona} one ofthe wealth- fest men in Canads, was 3 Manitoba La from 1870 10874 (and {a MP from Manitoba from 1870 to 1880, Hie wife Bella (née “Hardsty), Lady Strathcona, was "Saugh f Indigenous ancestry For many years, Bella Norquay daughter of the premier served as Manitoba's asitantlgislative librarian and thas played key rol in maintaining historical records ofthe ‘young province. The fis were held atthe home of Bannatyne and his Metis wif, Annie (age MeDermot) she Was Tamous for >aving horsewhipped Ontario writer Chases Mair in 1869 for slurs he published about the Metis women of Red River Some times, speches in Cre o Saultenux were given in the lpislature, suchas by aa Clenlyon Campbell, who was marred to Hare, ‘Bums, from a prominent Saulteaux family, and by aa Horace ‘Chevres, who was married to Maggie Gingras, roma prosperous Metismeschant fail West of Manitoba, the North-West Tertoris were adminis- tered by a federally appointed lieutenant governor and coun silos There was one Mets onthe council Pascal Breland, but he was not from the western Metis settlements ofthe South Sas- -atchewan River, who made up the majory ofthe Metis pop tion. In 1878, the Metis ofthe South Saskatchewan petitioned ‘he federal government for ther own representative Under the ritories Acts of 1875 and 1677, Metis males could vote and be elected, but the fst election was nt eld until 188 The vote was granted to "bond fide male residents and household ers of adult ge not being aliens or uneafranchsed Indians” The fist elected member of council fr the district that include the ‘Metis settlements ofthe South Saskatchewan, however, Was a Englishman and employee of the ac ‘hedgers Mets mberad enh father Asie edema Sonne 1908 aida perpen Before that date, : ‘muiepal fanchise in jurisdictions that permited female vot ess 59 Tongas they met che property qual The sable presence of Indigenous peoples, along with setters of from other regions ‘various ethniies, made the Pris distin onal goal of easing 2nd re Sffagsts endorsed the setler colonial goal placing indigenous peoples. None af the leading activists raised2 OURS RY VERY LAW OF MIRE AND JUSTICE {he ise of votes for Indigenous women or men, In 2915, Win- sive abou politanand fgets held that ety men shoul be excluded fom the rachis His ‘Let the Women ote in the Gran Gower Guide 2 frm journal, offered cxamples of what “brillant and clever” women were "doing for he ace"but asserted that ‘ertain membersosoclty .arevery property barred from voting namely: idiot criminals insane pe. sons and reatyIndans” Most Fail suffogsts were keenly aware ofthe marginal. uf) taneous ols cat ee leans ote dpe tno oe fs hed nd ee pha ar on ona ata sits srny fw laos ape as ther tate on te! sd anaes Aida torcoen pos fomspeg ndtv stony omg ie Gee succes nner Inches wal tren nar he eda ‘heh winlvand yes ches ere ae Enh te ins magi crac eee erhalten wt ne nee ey ssdietitbad ielncel mete eee ‘ecu chindopaonendghie ee ‘ips safe neat erie oka ae crit omc st Woandecnrponenect inet clic otecntig pense Sry anpraingecosne Cian apse sesten and impoverishment of indigenous peoples wees Jorat ion iGuat nab nee eames “Drip ielpen ne an inde pes Senos seating sams rac nebonsbes tafe ee scepter onter ecg ote oot basis forthe assumption hat weas aracearetheanointed of God and the one and only righteous and vireuous people” But ‘even these strong words did et single out the Wests most max- ‘inaied people. ‘When sufragists dscusted Indigenous women twas typically to insist upon invidious contrasts In har 913 book, An Eglish= woman in the Canadian West Ekizabeth Kelth Morris evoked the Stowe} peviou's pervasive imagery ofthe “degraded drudge? who sup- oy posedly did not want, need, or understand womens hts, unlike 4, Fetter women. Moris wrote that in the West‘Gquaws and half ‘reeds’ who were “naturally devoid of exlture and education” 7 (Galtamis steric reached nee heights of acistintoerance here (1 ‘vasa “negro invasion’ of men who had committed “atrocities?” henwslly the “only corresponding punishment for which isthe lawless Inching, and even burning atthe stake” Why, she asked, did ave“at estan equalstare withthe for. cign tego, inthe sich heritage ofthe Dominions homestead lands? Sock racist views were, unfortunately, widely shared lla ‘Sy an English doctor and womens suffrage supporter practis- ingin Edmonton, publicly potest “ivesion/ aswell, Wm (yay 9) for an “enc ing against the potent TOU Meats of outrages ‘on white women” Prejudice persisted even as other rationales for homestead rights emerged, including deterring female migration to cities and attracting white wives for lonely bachelors. Canad daughters should not have to go to the United States to receive homesteads, reformers argued. In February 1913, the Canadian| Paniamen scaved but ignored with leven thousand signatures that demanded the homestead privilege for British born women, ‘The tactic of elevating some women and denigrating others split the iomestad campaign. Winnipeg’ labour newspapes the Voce dazed the circulating petition as blatantly discriminatory. ‘The strategy of manipulating fens of racial and ethnic others at ofthe campaign tobolster the claims of British-born women, to homesteads failed inthe end. Prejudice an exclusion did not 30 well with calls for equality and justice aleson that would ia form the work of many sufragists.etoner for the vote would not make the same mistake of explicdly singling ov the worthi- ‘ess ofthe British-born, though the superiority of British setler women was often stressed Some suffrage supporters did seck to curtail the voting rights of immigrants, but raising feats of the foreign woman's vote was mostly a tactic af those who opposed theenfanchisement of women, Ins ey “The Fan of rie alte’ poeeal east ‘Neon Wiseman argued tat nach ofthe Pate pve the fig wave of setlemen lowing tne Bh and ents ae adan fr uaders was sey Onan Ontarians fred the‘ gop" is ach vi bt they ha the gest impact on Matob whee a ietent-centaty Ona Libel ay adtion wb Toy touch came Le ot powell tal fice In sekatchevan,s contest arose eeween OvtrieH cls ad Bit soclisnabouton, in Albers, Areca 2gnrian populist berlin ook hold No sustsncd sae bas eendone on howhecompotionof ti singe orem Sis or cllenges these haracteiatons.On the re tere | 2ppea tobe sme pals wth Otro brn sts och 25 Gor ind and Nelle Mcchangprouent n Mtb in uatcewan activ ede Vl Mehion vasa Engh Stn some adr nthe lea cmpaign were Aeran- Teas lee lmieon tec eagrtatos dot see ‘West honeer Ame Zs ght wn prominent ‘$Sinthenan ston and Quebec Hn Mi Ears Sense in Aber lng with Onis sch at iy erp " ‘Inall three provinces(petitionshto the Jegislaure were atthe neste sung cami fsihoe he Ween wold tavernas pe were ‘Risneopoltal expo ops toworen They wrean ah Standen pte nee wh opt efor a8 fnjosce ate ih owe of Commons ton of pet tinny wa inherited by Gnas Parinmene a ear There ta wpa at po wold be conse and Teetapn Te ty ested sense afunya lings hard Che enprenc of coting atte aa ding avec cages, 7 a ‘the(Liberal Partin all are assed the s915 ls Fting most women to vote ne Pai ovine Tin inte howeve at he itera wr the “rer of caneand content eo apport of ce tran twas nol he detn fut he ber ‘Rlctemsesltegesplnknther lo fell hy di tor pools ent elon nt petos dosated a tqure oppor ton te worenfthe ovine InSstatheva, Seliberd pone alert, renatadar nga cul runing merely of ssp: om women ieee ful ptr tgp nce wine e916 ht province {Re Comers eda soporte hc cn es bisiz nA te ile Ar Sion, edi Mor thee tslnges ecru eto demanded ever ee tren fpr en women llsAlthough the struggle for dower and homestead rights wat ‘nique to the Pris sufragists in these three provinces shared ter causes with sutragistseewhere. Caller pobibition, or tezmperance consolidated the enfanchiserient campaign inthe Caan West and cate ink that ae eras ongaizationsandagendis. The Woman’ Christian Temperance Union (wT) stood in the vanguard ofthe movement. rignatingin 187i the United Sates, itblosomed across Canad, where it became for decades {e langest national women organization and th major voie of sve cvangei ne The weru agi hat ‘prohibition would ales female stferng in families where Ankle to neglect. impoverishment, oF velence The organiza. ‘ion also embraced prison work, tavellc al maternity hosp tal, the abolishment of prostitution, and child welfare. In the | 8905 the Dominion wr began to cll for female enfanchise- ‘broad-based platform. " vues argued that the preponderanc les of single male setters along with timpton, enc support the wcTu and the Franchiee im hopes of establishing 2 ‘ore stable environment Suffiage activists could appeal to wide audiences and garner considerable support through thei assoc ation with temperance Ye, we wl ee hat leader suchas Amelia Yeomans were careful to separate the issus of temperance and sutfrage, so as not to alienate potential supporters who had 20, wvith to "bonish the bar® Activist Violet McNaughton was not Tipesally keen on temperance but was wing to work with “devotees to that cauze The situation was complicated and r= Cont studies show that the inks between suffage and temper~ See were more comples a less conventional than previously tought CTY mestings and activities provided women with public speaking, lobbying fundraising and organizational skis Young (Ontaran Teacher Louise Crummy for example, settled in North Dakota during the erly 8908 and became “State Evangelist” for the werU, She leared tobe an effective orato.a skill she later ‘wed in Alberta under her married name of McKinney, asthe province’ fist female mba and one ofthe Famous Five Scholars have emphasized the whiteness) of the worU. Members wore white ribbons to symbolize purity 2nd health. A child who signed a wero pledge never to consume intoxicating drinks was known a Lite White Ribboner The pledges, further adored with the fathers signature, bore a photo ofa smiling ‘blond child above the word "The Hope ofthe Races the Child.” Metaphors regarding the superiority of whiteness permeated the organization. ‘Most activists in the wer and other women's groups throughout Canada were middle clas and might well have de~ pended on the work of servants to permit them to forge ves buiside the home in 19, Nelle MeClong wrote that women (of her class) everywhere talked about how to acquire capable and relable girl, She favoured improved working conditions, with standardized hours, specified duties and respect McClung wrote that housework required more “brains, more originality, and [mor] good judgement than many occupations”in industry. Fora ts underlying racial and class bases howeve the Sage cause onthe Pacis attracted working-class supporters par WC ‘icassly in Winnipe, From the mid-1650s the p and Labour Coane (FL) was an openadvocteofenfanchisement,Hislop and Winona Fe Dison moved between mie dase le against capitalism was the fundamental issue, a perspective Shar hel bal vtech hele Mean it commen wth civ awk euro est suse th inate ater gue women Ses be affixed various labels to this generation of acti whose mem- Desir gy ee tl ee Drawings popular etc fr meththod ih spel 299 these trad nrg gas pe These act dd oe question heaton ee omen be respmile fr ome nd aman in ct eed sat caso heraage ested empress expand and alter women's eles. Nellie MeClungisa good example pen thereat she ated could en hve sel Tr sakepr sed ts sdchrch men - where vemen tenes aig Dehotteleepetsl dy andeey ey Mclug lat es coldest and aehilen snp thes oy challenged gender es whatever hat omnelng Baptensy ‘regularly trumped justice. - ‘There were a few exceptions, including Edmonton activist jennie oyaner (ng Ritenberg, who was Jewish and whose parents trove ftom Lithuania, and Russlan-born Mary Nicolae, an Al- teva contributor othe Grin Gowen’ Guide Manitoba’ Icelandic fpomen were active in the suffrage movement from the ate nine teenth century on, Bat many suthagst wer ardent imperialists ‘who believed in British superiority As in other British colonies Feminisis often took on a profoundly imperialist tone. When theo activists extolled matermal virtues, they were talking bout ‘white, preferably British Canadian mothers, and they posited thatthe enfranchisementof white women would secure the na tion ftom “race degeneration” By 191, the Grain Growers Guide tras also paying considerable atenton tothe science” of eugen {es in columns with uch titles as Parenthood and Race Culture” The word eugenics” was fst wed inthe cause of safer childbirth in the West births ad to be safe if women were to go about their work of “peopling the praises” which was understood to mean peopling by white Europeans, preferably the British, Concer for {he eradication ofthe “feeble minded” focused onthe non-Britsh rme move widespread after the Immmigatpopsaton and Fhe World Wr Eugen eminits, soch at Edmonton's Bally ‘Marphywereeopaclywsblein Alberta there wee sulfite ofthe Baiish Empire to. foe ating is Manitoba io ngiand Gerad Hiceréson res aong those wh viewed the South ian War noble nd sumefl As theater ap he deth lof the First Worl ar mounted, Halse campaigner suchas Rihardson, fe Beynon sisters of Manitoba and Sukatchena’s Violet Mentughion vray chose pace over inperasn. Mon slfgits could be desibd st dept rlilous and rset nh United tates ethos women ichas Frances tr wre prominent sgt, and his wa as he asin Praise canada Methodist Nel Mclung wa convinced hat God intended 9 fr dea for eveyone. In bet view, Christy trope the human ove: the masculine Chit teachings‘were traly “democratic” without “distinction between mien and women and she railed against churches that departed from ‘hese principles Like the Beynon sister, she supported the even agelical outreach of social gospeller JS. Woodsworth ofthe All Peoples Mission in Winnipeg, Woodsworth was a Methodist, and the Beyons to were raised in that denomination. Henrietta Muir Edwards wasa devout Baptist, described by her biographer Patrica Roome as an evangelical feminist. Again however there were exceptions. Not particulary religious, Violet McNaughton ‘xiticzed the treatment of women in the churches. Gertrude Richardson favoured the great inclusion offered by the Quakers. ‘More work needs tobe done onthe suffge movernent and religion, including how some supporters, such as Anglicans de ated froma church berarchy that did aot embrace voting sights for women, and how the thoologes of various denominations restricted or equipped female activists Forexample theUnitaian hue lyedan important ln the aorta seit the vote {in Manitoba, where there were Ielandic congregations and in ‘Edmonton, where academics and reformers, including socialists, fathered New settlers to the West, nchiding Doukhobors fiom Russia believed in voting rights for women a did Mormons from ‘Ucah where setter women fist execised th franchise in 2870, ‘The vast tapestiy of religions denominations and beliefs ‘makes itchallenging to delineateall the variations in atttudesto- ‘ward the rights of women, but Gathlis certainly expresed litle, iscerible support fr suffage In Quebec, as elsewhere, the Cth- olic hierarchy opposed women's right to vote. The fst Catholic Women’ League in Canada was established in 291 in Edmonton, ‘by Katherine Hughes, an rsh journals, ibrarin, historian, and ‘adamant opponent of female enfanchisement rance-Manitoban, suragis and Catholic Lorena "Dollee”Chevier resented the re- stritions of church and community, eventually departing Win nipeg forthe United States, where she joined the 1913 women's smarchon Washington acording to fail sources ey sti he age event ia uring the east yas ofthe Manitoba sampagn acs se on signers et oven al nd hema owe ive was not clen-caton he Paes MeChng athe Syuons for empl wee ised on homesteads an edi [Stews tire arvinginWinipe othe nen the ours ‘Smt Adin nny tases ctiviteo laed homesteads fhdstaed outs urbanites Onan organ esi Tumba (McEwan, who settied with her family on a homestead near Bran {unin 13, td biped fod eb Toons Women’ terry Cab {nas and she ecient 0883, when the cab vrs oozed as cams fo stage sce the nadia, omen’ SufiogeAsecition, Gertrude Richardson beeame = {orl Manton bu wos orga fom the ty of ester rominent aslatchewa reformers Vile McNaughton 208 oa Haigh were farmer eabequenty described as agaian fens. heres the Ssiatchewan Womens Grin rowers ‘Asocation, formed in 193, played the ang ees the move dren fr slge in that provines, the women’s section ofthe Manos Grla Gowers Asociaton wae no formed ot 918 2nd therefore played no oe the ample. The United Farm ‘omen of Alera etablshea in 995389 siiay tothe ‘nite mer of alerts, wasneverin thesotrage vanguard but nevertheless prove vital suport trical nd fal stag. For fam women ike McNaupton, he vote was 3909 = Fey na commen struggle ange male farmers to Dole the Siriano ged ike suai eloowheren Canad, Pre activists rgely agreed tosh the confonatinal and mitt sets ofthe British sulfate, Broken windows terms hunger strikes ttces demonstationsorcvenprades were seen pana ‘newspapers raggeting ales of the als rsh suia- es and bolng such lene as jarioast eafanchiseset, focal acts a al the rater reason to vid mitancy Some16 OURS BY HoWsr Law oF stow AND justice of them nevertheless greed that milan tactics wee 2p ate in Boland where ed peseil tates 2nd fale nd welcomed sng spears ach a8 Emmeline Fenkhurs and fabric Insatelaly resin tat mltapy was not neces fn ands, asl dre on tht the Ves ter wher te ments fone age as women eve though the enstles knew th te elon as ‘erly tania gltarian land thatthe che ‘ouldnate qu oenly granted naling he planer opt 2d values ofthe Prasat eed the acme of the tron going the ancient Inigeous presence The hay wae Sac hey tale enaugh about he Land ofthe Fal Des woubereize witot st a confontaton Aerthevote ‘eas wo, this atey would continvein some quae Jnations of undying atde tothe ale leit who ba onowted women wih ise + Govern espored wrens lbs uch the Home Eo NB) 55" conta Soda of aaah te Noreen YP Jaehewan andthe Women’ insite of Aber helped esp women domestic and discouraged them fom Jinn the suf ‘rage cute tn eam fer tall vical guns membee of these poupe were pressure to temaln spol Ts ws alas thease nother provinces most tbl Ona roogh the Women’ Insts, which pa heen 807 and wee ater adopted in oer conares Despite the design spol, however the meetings ofthese pps povided spaces cope fr fein sci and sug, des Bocetnd ight and the cais were sometimes dacssed, with activist equing ‘alle aies Scholars have ddd the states of ligt int bu die" categories Outside at, med ‘lng the general pull to a ales and scare sgnatres for pedons incuded specs, pamphlets eck petaments debate. and ales published y inet journalists At ple aoe sone engined in 913 by the Roaring River group, itches weve ven by prominent male sppoter,ieeding ‘eat ospelet Wim Inna decorated bis usu with ‘our br Women" laard(nsierstratgg focaset on fading ‘Wicbopporers inthe tars to intodce suger, and temperance legislation and on trying to infiltrate the elite “ies of entennt governors an premier omnes hough ‘Spathtc wives even thse women oul not sopor the ‘Emr puely Only in Maite did stige activists come feted n provincial election cpa. So wth soit elsewhere in Cand hstran and ober commenatrshavenssgnd log sto abel Pa saa- {jee ctegoring thei feminism maternal arn eangel- fata ight pei sod bral and cogent The tvs of etme would not hve vcopize’ mot of these terms, however. Emily Murphy, for example, rejected the term “emi wing dott the wor eins ir pooraed fy wot wher aplied oa morement which ay ominats ee eae irecdomef the entire word Tish ra bumanst movement “heh cagain sod beyond, ett eeoutted an yes ung ott wes omen a ep peice od tures wie fhe vent ok te sae aoa ye “nd nsietes were presents serie ronest opponents in Canada incded the spouse of the prime inset Lady 206 {hare who decked ison that English ast were Accent andunvomaiyand that tvs"unhetd of fr wo to ampete wth mastaline superiorly" Opposition was most toc an incanient In Manto, where reser Rode} obi eplariy noted out hs fens tat te ancy of the toe wo str ning aed Bien an osbande tat chien wuld be neglected ptt nv ‘ment in politics would taint the purity of women. Most of all,28 OURS 5Y EVERY Law OF BIGHT AND JstIC that Roblin introduced ~ requesting delegations foretaaatt ‘hein - returmagain again with more signatures. Statepically, both Scott and Silom need hat hey personaly voted nanchsement ut were not convinced thatthe majority of women agreed nll hee ae provinces en were eed eg rte vot again and again. . eee ‘Almost all sufrage organizers on the P lever They hada alias thence tosh nor _ndoften inhospitable envionment In the West farms and towns oe eater, transportation and communication networks were (Meak and winter descended fr many months ofthe year. After {Toplocng the original nbabitans, eters laboured hard to make fhe Prairies their permanent home and suffagists frequentiy {laid that the sacice and tol af pioneer women had helped. (pesablish settler hegemony. in3932, yrtha. Stavert, Winnipeg, ‘afagist journalist and president ofthe Intemational Congress ‘tram Women, was pleased to repot that ata recent Lethbridge tneeting the organization had decided to “erect a memorial to the pioneer farm woman’ which woold be placed somewhere in ye West on the frty-ninth parallel. The sculpture, ‘a woman Jing young boy [with] both ...graspingagun’ would "em Inemorste the struges ofthe lonely pioneer woman in defend {ng her home and childrea fom the attacks of indians” Though and ite ot onstrates the use of racial stereotypes by suffrage supporters to bolster thelr cause and fo establish who deserved rights and privileges and whe did not Women suchas Elizabeth Wasacase would have to wat forty-five mare years for ther rights to be recognized.