As Canadians, we think of voting as a fundamental right. But 100 years ago, many Canadians were excluded from being able to cast a ballot at the polls, and it would take years of campaigning before they would finally be awarded the right to vote.
On January 28, 1916, Manitoba became the first province in Canada to grant women that right.
To commemorate the upcoming centennial on Thu. Jan. 28, the most recent episode of River City 360 takes a look at the women’s suffrage movement at the time; one of its leaders, Nellie McClung; and how her activism and advocacy for social justice continues to be honoured and built upon today.
You can listen to the program in full using the player below:
Or listen to a particular segment by clicking the time link next to its description:
- 0:01 – RC360 asks Winnipeggers: Who was Nellie McClung?
- 6:57 – Roland Sawatzky, Curator of History at the Manitoba Museum, takes my co-host Nolan Bicknell and I on a tour of the “Nice Women Don’t Want the Vote” exhibit, open now until April 10, 2016.
- 13:48 – RC360 discusses the Manitoba Museum’s school programs and the reactions young people have had to the “Nice Women Don’t Want the Vote” exhibit with Anya Moodie-Foster, Museum Program Developer.
- 21:11 – Find out more about Nellie McClung – one of the leaders of the women’s suffrage movement in Manitoba – and how the Nellie McClung Foundation is continuing to honour her legacy and achievements through its upcoming Centennial Gala and inaugural Nellie Awards. RC360 sits down with Lila Goodspeed, Board Chair of the Nellie McClung Foundation, to learn more.
- 30:55 – Noah Erenberg, Convener of Community News Commons, joins us to discuss the latest stories written by citizen journalists on CNC, including:
- Suffering in silence: The decline of postpartum depression awareness in Manitoba by Danielle Doiron
- Cougars claw their way back into Manitoba by Riley Chervinski
- Giving homes to the homeless – a solution to street life by Bailey Hildebrand
- Winnipeg taxi service steps up fight against Uber by Ligia Braidotti
- New commissioner to restore faith in city hall: Mayor by Evan Matthews
- Safeguarding the validity of science by Jennifer Pawluk
What are your thoughts about this week’s program? We’d love to hear your feedback! Email us at rivercity360@wpgfdn.org or leave a message on our listener line at (204) 944-9474 ext. 360.
River City 360 is a weekly radio program hosted by Nolan Bicknell and Robert Zirk that highlights the people and organizations working to make Winnipeg a better place, along with music and community event updates. Tune in Sunday mornings at 8:15 a.m. on 93.7 CJNU-FM or subscribe to the podcast via iTunes. River City 360 is a project of The Winnipeg Foundation, in partnership with Community News Commons and 93.7 CJNU-FM.
