Fight for an equal voice continues
They tirelessly pushed for their rights over decades before claiming full citizenship — but on April 12, 1917, women finally won the right to vote in Ontario.
The fight for equality, however, continues today.
About 75 supporters, many from the union movement, gathered in Charles Clark Square on Wednesday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in Ontario — as well as Equal Pay Day.
“Women’s suffrage groups have existed since the 1870s, but during the war it was hard to ignore their arguments,” Sue McKinnon, chair of Unifor Local 444 women’s committee, told the crowd.
“Women were serving in the war, taking over from the men in factories and offices, holding families together while the men were overseas, and working in voluntary organizations that supported the war effort,” she added.
“They couldn’t be kept out of political life any longer.”
Voting is one thing. Complete equality is another.
According to Unifor, Ontario’s gender pay gap is 57 per cent for indigenous women, 39 per cent for immigrant women, and 30 per cent for all women.
Much of the difference comes from traditional men’s work paying more than traditional women’s work.
“Women’s work was considered less work,” McKinnon said. “That’s unacceptable. There’s a lot of value in women’s work.”
Carrying placards that read such things as “EqualPayDay = $,” rally participants shouted their support and sang the women’s anthem I Can’t Keep Quiet — with the defiant line, “I can’t keep quiet, I’m a one-woman riot.”
“We fought for the right to vote 100 years ago and we’re still fighting,” said Donna Sears-Howard, chair of Unifor Local 200 women’s committee. “We’re fighting for child care, we’re fighting for equal pay.”
Part of the problem stems from a lack of political representation — with male politicians far more numerous than female ones — though that’s changing.
“Our philosophy is, if you’re not at the table making the decisions, you’re on the menu,” said Terry Weymouth, Unifor national skilled trades co-ordinator. “That has been proven historically. Every time there’s a cut, it happens with social issues, where a lot of women are affected.”
Weymouth encouraged more women to run for office, and for everyone to support women who do.
“We need women who understand, who’ve been there, who have raised their families,” Weymouth said. “They bring a different perspective.
“We are a democracy. So we should have men and women at the table.”
Why do fewer women than men run for office?
“I think it’s changing,” Weymouth said. “You’re going to see a big difference in the future. This is a call for action.
“We are telling women we support you, we are behind you, we believe in you.”