Women in Canadian History Education Guide

4. Write a ne wspaper article on one ofthefour develop ments(see works heet) for wo me n d uri n g t he Q uiet Revol uti o n. Yo ur article s h o ul d a ns wer t he foll o wi n g: • What happened? • When and where didit happen? • Who wasinvolved? Who was affected? • Why and ho w didit happen? • What werethe short-ter m andlong-ter m consequences? What might be so me unintended consequences? Teacher Tip: Encourage studentsto considerthei mpactthatrace, class,(dis)ability, and/or sexual orientation might have had on ho w wo men responded to the key develop ments. Extensi on: Co mplete your exploration of this topic with a s mall group or class debate about whether the Quiet Revolution was as “revolutionary”for wo men asit wasfor Québec society.

This activity explores the origins and effects of the Quiet Revolutionfor wo menin Québec. The1960s was a period of great changein Canada, particularlyin Qué bec. During the Quiet Revoluti on, the provincial g overn ment ma de s wee ping refor ms to pr ovi de Qué béc ois with greater c ontr ol over their culture and econo my;the po wer ofthe Catholic Churchin society and education waned; and a modern and nationalist senti ment e merged. Theserefor ms, coupled with social change across Canada,ledto a funda mental shiftfor wo men. Legislation and civilla w offered wo men ne w free d o ms a n d a ge nerati o n of fe mi nists p urs ue d e q uality t hr o u g h organizati ons such as the Fé dérati o n des fe m mes d u Q ué bec ( F F Q). 1. C o nsi der t he ca uses a n d c o nse q ue nces of c ha n ge for Qué béc oise wo men as you rea d Wo men an d the Quiet Revoluti on o n The Canadian Encyclopedia . 2. Usingthe develop mentslistedinthe Quiet Revolution Worksheet , available ontheEducation Portal,readthe brief c orres p o n di n g article fr o m t he Musée québécois de culture p o p ul air e an d c o m plete the chart. 3. On a scale of1(noinfiuence)to 5(highinfiuence),rankthe i mportance ofthefourtopicsinthe chart. Who and whatis mi s si n g ?

MODIFICATION: DIVIDE STUDENTSINTO S MALL GROUPS, AND ASSIGN EACH GROUP AN ARTICLE TO READ. ASK STUDENTS TO COMPLETE A FISHBONE CHART ASSESSING THE CAUSES OF THEIR ASSIGNED EVENT, AND HAVE THE MIDENTIFY THREE CONSEQUENCES. GROUPS CAN PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS TO THE CLASS.

T h ér ès e Cas grai n, fe mi nist, p oliti cia n, a n d s e nat or, 19 37 (c o urtesy Library and Archives Canada/Yousuf Karsh/PA-178177).

1. In pairs or s mall groups, select one ofthereco m mendationsfro mthe Reportin theRoyal Co m mission Worksheet , available ontheEducation Portal. 2. Deter mine ho w well your selectedissue has been addressed beforethe re p ort, after t h e re p ort, a n d to day. Re m e m b er t hat c ha n g e occ urs at differe nt rates; pr ovi nces a n d territori es may have vari o us a p pr oac h es to t h e Re p ort’s reco m mendations. 3. Co metogether as a classto share yourresearch. Afterlearning aboutthe various r ec o m m e n dati o ns, disc uss t h e foll o wi n g q u esti o ns: • To what extent did the Royal Co m mission on the Status of Wo men make a differencein wo men’slivesin Canada? Which wo men? • Wasthe Royal Co m mission aturning pointin Canadian history? • Whichreco m mendation hadthe greatestlastingi mpact? Why? On who m? • Whatissues stillrequire actiontoday?

Explore so me key reco m mendations of the Report of the Royal Co m mission on the Status of Wo men to deter mine the extent to which progress has been made. The Royal Co m mission on the Status of Wo men was establishedin1967inresponseto de mands by multiple wo men’s groups that Otta wa tackle prejudiceininstitutions as well asinthe personal sphere to counteract the real hu man costs of discri mination. After extensive public hearings andthousands ofletters andtesti monies,the Co m missionissued areportin1970, making167 reco m mendati ons for federal acti on to achieve equality bet ween men and wo men. Leadingissues included political representation, education, poverty,fa milyla w, birth control and abortion rights, child care, maternityleave, pay equity, and the status ofIndigenous wo men.

Extension: Investigate wo men who were active participantsinthe pushfor wo men’srights, such as Florence Bird, Dorothea Pal mer, or Barbara Cadbury.

MODIFICATION: CREATE A FLO W CHART VISUALIZING YOUR SELECTEDISSUE. HO W WASIT ADDRESSED BEFORE THE REPORT, AFTER THE REPORT, AND TODAY?

Meeting ofthe Royal Co m mission onthe Status of Wo menin Canada (courtesy Library and Archives Canada/Do minion Wide Photographs Li mited/1971-191 NPC).

Inthe1960s, a“Second Fe minist Wave” de mandedlegislativerefor msto create a more equal society,including issues of peace and disar ma ment, greater politicalrepresentation,reproductiverights, pay equityin e mploy ment, l e gal ri g hts, a n d m ore. O n D ece m b er 21, 1967, t h e n– J ustice Mi nister Pi erre Tr u d ea u si g nal e d a maj or c ha n g e for Canadian society when he declaredthat“there’s no placeforthe stateinthe bedroo ms ofthe nation.” His govern ment’s Cri minal La w A mend ment Act(CL AA)legalized abortion under certain conditions and decri minalized ho mosexuality, contraceptives, and birth control(a mong otherthings)to“[bring]thela ws oftheland upto conte mporary society.”

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