Events of National Historic Significance
Canadian Woman’s Christian Temperance Union
Building Social and Community Life/Social Movements
Largest
non-denominational Canadian women’s organization in the late 19th
century, important in suffrage and social reform campaigns.
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Chartering of Local 120 of the United Garment Workers of America at the GWG
Alberta
Developing Economies/Labour
Particularly receptive to women's concerns, Local 120 gave its female
membership an opportunity to gain leadership experience and to campaign
for women's issues
Congregation of Notre -Dame
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
Religious order founded circa. 1650 by Marguerite Bourgeoys for children’s education.
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Contributions of the Augustines de la Miséricorde de Jésus Of Québec City’s Hôtel-Dieu
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Community Organizations/Religious Institutions
Established and perpetuated an ancient hospital tradition founded on
Christian faith that made a significant impact on health care in Canada
(1639-1967)
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Contributions of the Religieuses hospitalières de Saint-Joseph
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Community Organizations/Religious Institutions
Established and perpetuated an ancient hospital tradition founded on
Christian faith that made a significant impact on health care in Canada
(1659-1965)
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Contributions of the Soeurs de Miséricorde
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Community Organizations/Religious Institutions
First and only religious community in Canada to specialize in the
maternity care of unwed mothers, assisting in childbirth as certified
midwives (1848-1865)
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Crossing of Lake Ontario by Marilyn Bell (1954)
Ontario
Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life/Sports and Leisure
A positive role model for female athletes, Bell attracted national and
international attention to Canada's strong standing in marathon
swimming and fostered the sport's development
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Edmonton Grads
Alberta
Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life/Sports and Leisure
Championship women’s basketball team, 1915-1940.
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Entry of Women in the Military in the Second World War
Governing Canada/Military and Defence
Women’s service within the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC):
British Columbia
Women’s service within the Canadian Air Force, “They serve that men fly”:
Alberta
Women’s service within the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service:
Nova Scotia
Establishment of St. Peter’s Colony and Abbacy
Saskatchewan
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
The Franciscan Sisters of St. Elizabeth and Ursulines of Bruno provided
services and leadership in religion, education, culture and health care
in this largest German group settlement in Canada.
Establishment of the Beaver Lake/Mundare Ukrainian Catholic Mission
Alberta
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
The Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate co-founded this 1902 mission
with the Order of St. Basil the Great, helping to establish parishes,
schools, orphanages and hospitals that served the Ukrainian population
in Alberta and beyond
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Establishment of the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC)
Ontario
Building Social and Community Life/Social Movements/Education and Social Well-being
Political
organization active at local, provincial and national levels, important
voice in advocating social and health care reforms.
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Fédération nationale Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Community Organizations/Social Movements
The founding of this organization in 1907 marked the beginning of a structured French-Canadian feminist movement
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First Women’s Institute
Ontario
Building Social and Community Life/Social Movements
Foundation of the first Women’s Institute in Canada 1897.
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Formation and development of the Canadian Home and School Federation
Building Social and Community Life/Education and Social Well-being
Made an outstanding contribution to childhood education and well-being.
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Grey Nuns of Montréal
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
Religious order founded by Saint-Marie-Marguerite d’Youville in 1747 to care for the sick.
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Hotel-Dieu de Saint Joseph de Tracadie
Tracadie, New Brunswick
Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
Hospitalières de Saint Jospeh operated facilities in Tracadie (1849-1965) and Sheldrake Island (1844-94) as a lazaretto.
Immigration of the King’s Daughters to New France
Quebec
Peopling the Land/Migration and Immigration
Eight-hundred female immigrants came as brides to help populate the colony of New France
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Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (I.O.D.E.)
Ontario
Building Social and Community Life/Community Organizations
Founded by women in 1900 to encourage patriotism and community service.
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Midwives of New France
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Community Organizations/Social Movements
These women formed the core of a network coordinated by the Church that
practiced an obstetric model unique in Canada’s history, assisting
mothers in childbirth and infant care in nearly every settled part of
New France
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Montréal Dressmakers' Strike of 1937
Quebec
Developing Economies/Labour
Organized by the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union, this
strike marked a turning point in the unionization of women in the
garment industry
National Council of Jewish Women of Canada
Ontario
Building Social and Community Life/Community Organizations
Through their work with immigrants, mothers, young women and children,
its members became indispensable partners in the Canadian Jewish
community
Newfoundland Outport Nursing and Industrial Association (NONIA)
Newfoundland
Building Social and Community Life/Education and Social Well-being
Outpost nursing association that provided a wide range of health care services to isolated populations.
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Persons Case
Ontario
Governing Canada/Politics and Political Processes; Building Social and Community Life/Social Movements
Cleared the way for the appointment of women to the Senate; established that Canadian women were legally persons.
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Sisters of Charity of Ottawa
Ontario
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
Religious order founded in 1845, began a nursing school in the 1890s.
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Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul
Nova Scotia
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
First English-speaking congregation of religious women founded in
Canada (1856); provided an array of educational, health and other
social services
Sisters of Providence
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
Religious order founded in 1843 by Émilie Gamelin for the care of the poor and the sick.
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Sisters of Ste. Anne
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
Religious order founded in 1850 by Marie-Esther Blondin for education and care of the sick.
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Sisters of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
Religious order founded in 1853 by Leócadie Bourgeois as a missionary teaching order.
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Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
Religious order founded in 1843 by Eulalie Durocher as a religious school for the young.
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Ursulines of Trois-Rivières
Quebec
Building Social and Community Life/Religious Institutions
Taught for 300 years and provided a remarkable testimony to the reputation and quality of Ursuline education.
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Victorian Order of Nurses
Ontario
Building Social and Community Life/Education and Social Well-being
Major national organization that provides health care services to poor and isolated Canadians.
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Winning of the Vote by Women
Manitoba
Governing Canada/Politics and Political Processes; Building Social and Community Life/Social Movements
Struggle of women to achieve the vote.
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War Brides
Nova Scotia
Peopling the Land/Migration and Immigration
Contributions of some 48,000 women who came to Canada as a direct result of Canadian participation in Second World War.
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Women Workers in Canada’s Military Munitions Industry
Quebec
Developing Economies/Labour; Governing Canada/Military and Defence
Women’s labour in the military munitions industry played a crucial role
in Canada’s defence, particularly during the First and Second World Wars
Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA)
New Brunswick
Building Social and Community Life/Community Organizations
Supported an enlarged role for women in employment, higher education and public services.
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