Students will analyze the following pieces of information and sort them in one of the four ways to take civic action.
Write articles for newspapers and magazines | Francis Marion Beynon wrote a regular “women’s page” for the Grain Growers Guide that highlighted equality issues. |
---|---|
Donate money to support the cause | Mary Hamble donated funds to the Manitoba Political Equality League, which promoted women’s right to vote. |
Attend an event | Women and men showed their support for women’s right to vote by attending meetings, rallies, lectures and social events. |
Create a group of local supporters | The Manitoba Political Equality League was founded to promote equality and obtain the right to vote for women in the province. |
Join with national organizations | Local women’s groups worked with national organizations such as the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union to help further their cause. |
Hold group activities | Manitoba women held social events or “Pink Teas” in their homes so women could discuss issues related to the struggle for equality. |
Build alliances with others | Manitoba women’s groups got support from other organizations, such as the Manitoba Grain Growers Association. |
Give public talks | Nellie McClung, a novelist and activist, went on speaking tours to promote her writings and women’s voting rights. |
Create a publication | A monthly magazine, Freyja (which means “woman” in Icelandic), was published in Manitoba to educate readers about women’s rights. |
Take part in public events | The Manitoba Political Equality League set up a booth at the Winnipeg Stampede, where they handed out pamphlets in favour of women getting the vote. |
Attract attention through advertising | The Manitoba Political Equality League ordered 100 banners to hang on Winnipeg streetcars as rolling ads. |
Use humour to get noticed | Women staged a mock parliament with a humorous debate on whether men should have the vote. |
Collect signatures on a petition | Women brought petitions to church meetings, family gatherings and fall fairs where they could persuade a lot of people to sign. |
Speak to the legislature | Leaders of various organizations gave inspiring speeches in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. |
Get involved in election campaigns | Women volunteered to help provincial electoral candidates who would, if elected, support women’s voting rights in the legislature. |
Present a petition | A petition with over 40, 000 signatures was presented to the provincial premier to show there was political support for women’s voting rights. |
Promote introduction of a bill | Activists convinced Premier Norris to introduce a bill in the Manitoba legislature to extend the vote to women in the province. |
Contact an elected member | Women contacted all members of the Manitoba legislature to demand that women get the right to vote and to run as provincial candidates. |
Sign a petition | Individual women and men signed a petition in favour of Manitoba women getting the right to vote. |
Collect signatures on a petition | Amelia Burritt, age 93, personally collected over 4, 000 names on a petition supporting Manitoba women’s right to vote. |