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Canadian Women After 1945

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?.

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Canadian Women After 1945

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  1. Canadian Women After 1945

  2. Considerations • What Impact Did the Second World War Have on Canadian Women? • Two Views: • Etta Macpherson, 1943 • Ruth Roach Pierson, 1986

  3. Women at War • Etta Macpherson, editor of Chataleine Magazine, 20 December 1943 • A Liberating Experience? http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-71-855-5099/conflict_war/women_ww2/clip7

  4. 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?

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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?

  8. 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)

  9. Judy LaMarsh • B. Chatham, Ontario • member of CWAC • Lawyer • MP, Niagara Falls, 1960-1968 • Canada Pension • Centennial Celebrations • Controversial

  10. 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=1-73-86-411

  11. 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=1-73-86-410

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. The Status of Women, 1970 • The process of change: conservative? • Middle-class women’s organizations • addressing specific economic and legal constraints

  15. 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

  16. 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.”

  17. New Organizations • National Action Committee on the Status of Women • Media Watch • National Association of Women and Law (1975) • . . . . • More inclusive, more radical?

  18. “New Issues” • Abortion • Domestic Violence • Sexual Harassment • Rape and Sexual Assault

  19. 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

  20. 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

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