Women in Post-WWII Canada Ch. 7 & 12 (p. 171, 181, )

Women After WWII Women expected to give wartime jobs back to returning veterans Women encouraged to stay at home Working women thought of as bad mothers Some women couldn’t afford to stay home Made to feel guilty by society Paid less than men who did the same work

Women After WWII

The Women’s Movement 1960s: emergence of feminism Belief that women should not be discriminated against based on gender, equal to men Many women frustrated by life as stay-at- home mothers or having to work in low- paying “women’s jobs” Waitresses, secretaries, sales clerks, etc. Feminists protest, lobby government for equality

The Women’s Movement

Royal Commission on the Status of Women (1967) To examine women’s status in Canadian society Recommendations: Women should have the right to choose to work outside of their homes Easier access to subsidized day care Paid maternity leave Government should help end discrimination against women

The Women’s Movement Women’s groups lobby government to act on Commission’s recommendations National Action Committee on the Status of Women (formed 1971) 1980s: more women able to succeed in politics, medicine, law, engineering, business (traditionally “male”) Still instances of discrimination, but much progress made

Rosemary Brown

Canadian Women Media CD

Women in the Charter 1982: Women’s rights formalized in Charter of Rights and Freedoms Equality Rights (Section 15) forbids discrimination based on gender, etc. Allows for affirmative action programs Employers required to hire certain numbers of women and other groups traditionally discriminated against Some controversy and debate For: more women and minorities should be hired to make up for low numbers in the workplace until equality reached Against: reverse discrimination, taking place of more qualified applicants, inequality in professions will fade away over time