Canada: The Defining Moments of a Nation

A defining moment is the point at which, a situation is clearly seen to undergo a change. Canada, as a growing nation, has encountered many defining moments throughout it's history. During the twentieth century women of Canada have undergone numerous moments that brought about significant changes for themselves. The most prominent moments, which brought about the most change and significance are: the persons case of 1928, the women's liberation movement throughout the 1960's and 70s and the ratification of the Treaty for Rights of Women (CEDAW) in 1981. These three events in Canada's history brought about many crucial changes for the woman of Canada. After woman won the persons case in 1929, Canada finally considered women to be legal persons. Awareness of women's equality came to the fore front during the woman's liberation movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally in 1981 Canada enforced stricter laws for crimes against woman, when it ratified the Treaty for Rights of Women. It became socially and politically unacceptable for women to be the scapegoats of society. These moments changed they way women where treated in society, politics, and in the workforce. The infamous persons case of 1928 gained national recognition when five Alberta women, known today as the famous five took on the Supreme Court of Canada, asking if the word â€Å"persons† in section 24 of the British North American Act included women. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the word â€Å"persons† did not include women. This meant women were not considered legal persons, eligible to run or hold office, or be a part of any political stance. After their great loss to the Supreme Court, they continued the fight, and brought their case to the British Privy Council, where they where victorious. The British Privy council announced that women were indeed persons, and as Lord Chancellor of the Privy Council put it â€Å"The exclusion of woman from all public offices is a relic of days more barbarous than ours. † The persistence of these five Alberta women led all Canadian women to victory in 1929. It was no surprise these women are known today as the â€Å"famous five. † Prior to this defining moment, women were not considered legal persons in the matters of rights and privileges. However, when they won their case women were considered legal persons and now had the same rights and privileges of any man. Before this time in history, women were not eligible to run or hold public office. It was simply not allowed under the British North American Act. The word â€Å"persons† excluded woman and â€Å"all nouns, pronouns and adjectives in the British North American act where masculine, and that was who was meant to govern Canada. † The triumph of the persons case allowed women to become appointed senators of Canada and members of federal bodies. In 1930 the first female senator, Carnie Wilson, was appointed by Prime Minister Mackenzie King. Today 229 members of parliament are women. The persons case also gave women hope. The persons case brought about numerous significant changes for women, and can be considered a defining moment for the women of Canada. By 1960 women's rights groups were showing up all over Canada. The women's movement had begun. In 1966 thirty-two different women's groups from across Canada came together to for the Committee for the Equality of Women in Canada. Within a year the committee forced the government to launch a Royal Commission on the Status of Women. The journalist Florence Bird who covered the story, submitted a report a few years later, known today as the Bird Report. It consisted over 160 recommendations addressing the decreasing equality of women. While Ottawa tried to avoid these issues the women's organizations where growing. By 1972, three-hundred women's rights groups came together to form The National Action Committee for the Equality of Women (NAC). This committee saw it their duty to see that the Bird Report's recommendations were put into practice. At the end of the movement, women had greater equality within the workforce. In a recent public-opinion poll, three out of four Canadian citizens agreed that the women's movement had a positive effect on Canadian society. This time in history was a huge breakthrough for all woman, it brought about immense significant changes for the working women of Canada. The United Nations convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) is a treaty to eliminate violence and discrimination towards women. Canada ratified this treaty in 1981. It was a defining moment for all women of Canada because it was not only socially unacceptable for women to play the role of scapegoats, but new enforced laws wouldn't allow it. Ratifying countries, such as Canada where to condemn discrimination in all forms and ensure that legal framework, including all laws, policies and practices would provide protection against discrimination and embody the principle of equality. The treaty also commits ratifying nations to overcome barriers to discrimination against women in the areas of egal rights, education, employment, healthcare, politics and finance. In order to overcome these barriers Canada set up numerous new programs and institutions to help distressed women, or women seeking advice or help. In 1980, the year before Canada ratified the treaty, 90% of women reported receiving unwanted sexual attention on the job. After 1981, this statistic dropped dramatically. In addition, ratifying countries must submit a progress report to the United Nations for review. This progress report Canada must write ensures that discrimination and violence against women is minimal. Canada does not want to end up in the United Nations international court of justice. This moment in Canadian history truly helped all women overcome existing barriers towards the end of the 20th century. Over the 20th century women in Canada have struggled for equality. The persons case of 1928 began an atmospheric change for women. In the early 1960s the women's liberation movement carried the fight for equal rights for women, and the ratification of the treaty for rights of women in 1981 was a milestone in the fight for equality. These defining moments gave women the same political rights with the persons case, equality with the women's liberation movement, and reassurance these rights would be enforced when Canada ratified the treaty for rights of women. All throughout Canada's history women's rights have been a touchy issue. The battle for equality is still driven today by the new generation. It appears as if the battle will never be quite over, but Canadian women have been blessed that these event occurred in our history, or the women of Canada would not be anywhere close the equality we have today