Political Developments
The National Policy (mentioned in the "Economic Developments" section of this website) was adopted by the government and it involved three parts. First, there was the tariff on the foreign made products to, in a way, protect the Canadian manufacturers and to stimulate business. Next, there was a program to allow thousands of immigrants to settle in the Canadian west, and the construction of the transcontinental railroad. By 1885, this policy started to change Canada in a great way. Manufacturing was increasing, cities were expanding, and settlers were coming from Eastern Europe and Britain. The settlers traveled to the Prairie provinces and even went as far as British Columbia once the railroad was completed.
Most landowning Canadian male citizens had the right to vote in federal, provincial, and municipal elections by the 1880s, but since only a select group of people were allowed to vote, this was far from democratic and fair. Aboriginal and people of Asian background were unable to vote. But, the largest group of people that were unable to vote was, obviously, women. The 1870s brought the first signs of feminism and of people advocating for Women's Rights. Some people argued that women should vote because they were free people/individuals, just like men. However, more people argued that women should vote because they were NOT like men. They argued that women had a special responsibility to be 'mothers of the race', they had to influence the people outside of their homes, as they did in them. The vote should be given to women so they could influence more people than their family. Although women were not allowed to vote federally until the 1920s, the advocating for this right began in the 1870s. The group that advocated for this right was, the Toronto Women's Literary Club.
Most landowning Canadian male citizens had the right to vote in federal, provincial, and municipal elections by the 1880s, but since only a select group of people were allowed to vote, this was far from democratic and fair. Aboriginal and people of Asian background were unable to vote. But, the largest group of people that were unable to vote was, obviously, women. The 1870s brought the first signs of feminism and of people advocating for Women's Rights. Some people argued that women should vote because they were free people/individuals, just like men. However, more people argued that women should vote because they were NOT like men. They argued that women had a special responsibility to be 'mothers of the race', they had to influence the people outside of their homes, as they did in them. The vote should be given to women so they could influence more people than their family. Although women were not allowed to vote federally until the 1920s, the advocating for this right began in the 1870s. The group that advocated for this right was, the Toronto Women's Literary Club.