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The Married Woman's Property Act
The Married Women's Property Act was an Act created by the Parliament of the United Kingdom that notably changed English law regarding the property rights given to married women. This allowed them to control and own their own property.Wives' legal identities were also restored, as the courts were forced to recognize a husband and a wife as two separate legal entities. -
The Criminal Code
In 1909, the Criminal Code was amended to criminalize the abduction of women. Before this, the abduction of any woman over 16 was legal, except if she was a woman who is an heir, especially to great wealth. The maximum penalty for stealing a cow was much higher than for kidnapping a heiress. -
Children’s Act
The Manitoba Illegitimate Children’s Act allows an unwed mother to bring court action to require the child’s father to pay child support and expenses. This act provide the mother with support from the father wether he was present in their lives or not. This act was enacted to show that both parents are legally responsible for their children. -
Military Voter's Act
This was a piece of Canadian legislation that happened during World War I that gave the right to vote to all Canadian soldiers. It also gave the right for woman serving in the armed forces as well as nurses in the war to vote. -
The Dominion Elections Act
The Dominion Elections Act recognizes that every eligible Canadian over 21, male or female, can vote in federal elections. This does not, however, include Aboriginal peoples, Inuit or anyone barred from a provincial voters' list including Asians and Hindus. This provides both females and males an equal right to vote. -
The Persons Case
The 1929 Persons' Case is one of the major achievements by the British North America Act The Famous 5 succeeded in having women defined as "persons". This made woman eligible for appointment to the Senate, and gave them the right to participate in all aspects of life. -
Canada Fair Employment Practices Act
The federal government passes the Canada Fair Employment Practices Act in order to overcome discrimination within the civil service. The Act applies to the federal government and all sectors within its jurisdiction, such as inter provincial transportation and telecommunications. -
The Female Employees Equal Pay Act
This act is to promote equal pay for female employees. Employers must give the same pay wage to a female empoyee as they would with a male employee that would be employed for the same work with that employer. -
Royal Commission on the Status of Woman
The Royal Commission on the Status of Women was a Canadian Royal Commission that studied the status of women and suggested steps that could be taken by the federal government to guarantee equal opportunities with men and women in all aspects of Canadian society. -
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
With the signing of the Charter of Rights and freedoms, human rights became an important part of Canadian identity.The charter sought to protect individual rights by preventing laws that unfairly discriminate or that take away human rights. It acknowledged that everyone regardless of colour, religion, race, or belief possesses certain fundamental rights that no government can remove without cause
