Transcript Slide 1
Canadian Women After 1945 Considerations What Impact Did the Second World War Have on Canadian Women? Two Views: Etta Macpherson, 1943 Ruth Roach Pierson, 1986 Women at War Etta Macpherson, editor of Chataleine Magazine, 20 December 1943 A Liberating Experience? http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-718555099/conflict_war/women_ww2/cli p7 What Prompted Change after the Second World War? The Left? Government? Media? Trade Unions? Women’s Organizations? The Economy? Women’s Liberation Movement? The Courts? The Suburban Experience A massive ‘escape’ to the suburbs. Different from the United States? A Gendered world? One car families isolation “A good place to raise kids” A very complex scenario Working Women 1942: “Equal Pay for Equal Work” 1951: Ontario Female Employees’ Fair Remuneration Act (FEFRA) Who pushed for it? CCF/Trade Unions? Business and Professional Women’s Clubs Women’s Institutes YWCA Working Women The Justification: Unions: male workers might be undermined by a ‘flood’ of female workers Pay Equity as a Human right. A Limited Gain? The 1960’s The Birth Control Pill, 1960 New options for a younger generation A new perspective on an older generation Women in Politics Agnes McPhail, 1921 (first female MP) Ellen Fairclough, (first female Cabinet minister, under Diefenbaker) Judy LaMarsh B. Chatham, Ontario member of CWAC Lawyer MP, Niagara Falls, 1960-1968 Canada Pension Centennial Celebrations Controversial Laura Sabia B. St. Catharines, Ontario 1967, Head of the Canadian Federation of University Women Issues: hiring practices, Senate appointments, divorce laws, abortion rights http://archives.cbc.ca/ 400d.asp?id=1-73-86- The Royal Commission on the Status of Women Est’d February 1967 “what steps might be taken by the Federal Government to ensure for women equal opportunities with men in all aspects of Canadian society.” http://archives.cbc.ca/400d.asp?id=1-7386-410 RCSW, Reports 1970 Four Principles: 1) women should be free to choose whether or not to take employment outside their homes 2)the care of children is a responsibility to be shared by the mother, father and society 3)society has a responsibility for women because of pregnancy and childbirth 4)in certain areas women will, for an interim period, require special treatment to overcome the adverse effects of discriminatory practices The Royal Commission: The Reaction Derision Financial Times: Limited support The New Feminism: Irrelevent http://archives.cbc.ca/400d.asp?id= 1-73-86-417 The Status of Women, 1970 The process of change: conservative? Middle-class women’s organizations addressing specific economic and legal constraints The Legal Status of Women 1971: Status of Women gains a position in Cabinet 1972: Office of Equal Opportunities in the Public Service Commission 1977(8)? Canadian Human Rights Act 1975: Matrimonial Law challenged Murdoch Case 1973: Native Women’s Status challenged Lavell Case 1970s: Women’s Liberation Legal, political or institutional change is not enough “society’s major power relationship was one of domination and oppression of women by men.” New Organizations National Action Committee on the Status of Women Media Watch National Association of Women and Law (1975) .... More inclusive, more radical? “New Issues” Abortion Domestic Violence Sexual Harassment Rape and Sexual Assault New approach, new Herstory 1970’s Women’s Studies programs est’d Canadian Committee on Women’s History Are women’s roles socially constructed? Medical history; occupational history; sports history The New Herstory History of early ‘radical’ feminists: Laura Hughes, Nelly McClung, Emily Murphy New Interest in feminism, pacifism and radicalism Early Birth control advocates A.R. Kaufman and Dorothea Palmer What of Women’s Voices? native women, ethnic women, sex trade workers