Wartime Elections Act & Military Voters Act (1917)
The Wartime Elections Act and Military Voters Act were both passed by Borden's government in 1917. In an effort to gain support for the Union government's pro-conscription policies, they granted women, serving in the WWI effort - in armed forces or as nurses - and those with familial or marital relations to men involved in the war, the right to vote. Although, through these acts, the right to vote was only granted to Canadian women for a limited time, it was significant enough to provide a symbol of hope and inspiration for obtaining permanent suffrage in the future.
This propaganda poster (to the left) was one of the Union government's tactics at convincing people to vote for their pro-conscription government. The poster depicts "The Canadian Mother", saying goodbye to her son, presumably leaving for war, and promising to do her "duty" by casting her ballot for the union government which she believes will "stand by" her beloved son. The poster, which associates a vote for the Union government as a vote to "stand by" one's loved ones in war, reflects that allowing (certain) women to vote was a tactic of the government to gain political support. Aside from their subliminal political purpose, the War Elections and Military Voters Act also introduced the concept of having a "duty" to cast one's ballot, to women across Canada, for the first time. This was a somewhat foreign responsibility to women, and so, despite the temporary nature of the right to vote, it was still empowering.
This propaganda poster (to the left) was one of the Union government's tactics at convincing people to vote for their pro-conscription government. The poster depicts "The Canadian Mother", saying goodbye to her son, presumably leaving for war, and promising to do her "duty" by casting her ballot for the union government which she believes will "stand by" her beloved son. The poster, which associates a vote for the Union government as a vote to "stand by" one's loved ones in war, reflects that allowing (certain) women to vote was a tactic of the government to gain political support. Aside from their subliminal political purpose, the War Elections and Military Voters Act also introduced the concept of having a "duty" to cast one's ballot, to women across Canada, for the first time. This was a somewhat foreign responsibility to women, and so, despite the temporary nature of the right to vote, it was still empowering.