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French and British settlers arrive in Canada
Both nationalities bring with them their language, religion and civil code -
Pre 1600s Matriarchal Indigenous Family Trends
Indigenous Peoples followed matriarchal practices
-Family followed the lineage of the women
-Lived in family groups based on maternal lineage -
Period: to
France sends more women to Canada
700 poor and homeless women were sent to partner with single male settlers as a way to discourage relationships with indigenous women -
Courtship style relationships
The 1700s saw young people engaged in courtship style relationships as a result of limited informal contact and strict social rules. -
Residential Schools
Late nineteenth centrury saw many indigenous children placed in European residential schools to be taught European ways of life, including language and customs
-Indigenous ways were prohibited and lost -
Head tax
In response to the large number of Chinese immigrants, a head tax was created and prevented families of Chinese from entering Canada.
This created a large imbalance between male and female Chinese living in Canada. -
Period: to
Increased immigration to Canada
Chain migration to Canada involving groups of families and neighbours, decided mostly by the male heads -of-family
Also, orphaned children were sent to live with foster families -
Legal Guardianship
In B.C., mothers were given equal rights to become legal guardians as fathers -
Women get to vote
Women's suffrage -
Period: to
Second World War changes
Relationships and families make significant changes as a result of war.
-premarital sexual relationships increase
--abortion rates increased
-soldiers took more risks with partners
-hasty marriages before going to war After the war - broken engagements, separations, divorces and annulments increased -
Divorce Act
Reformed and liberalized divorce laws -
Family Planning practices legalized
Abortion - allowed to be performed in hospitals.
-This allowed for less restrictive courtship rituals and practices
Contraception - advertising allowed, with the exception of 'the pill'
Homosexuality - no longer against the law -
Marriage Equality
Same-sex couples given the right to marry in Canada