Canadian Women in the Workforce: 1040's to the 1970's
Canadian Women in the Workforce: 1940’s to the 1970’s
The 1940’s to the 1970’s were 30 short years, but resulted in a huge revolutionary change to Canadian women and their place in the workforce. The women who lived during this time period fought for the rights that working women have today. Women went from working in their homes to working in stores, factories, and running the farm. There were plenty of things women had to overcome during this time, such as; filling in the job market during WWII, their return to housework when the soldiers came home, and the fight for equal pay and to be treated as an equal employee once back in the workforce. There were also some organizations, groups and laws which helped support women, one example being the ‘Royal Commission on the Status of Women’. It is obvious that women had to overcome huge obstacles to get where they are today. These 30 years were a time of change for women as they fought for equality in the workforce.
Canada declared war on Germany on September 10, 1939. Canadian men who joined the war had to leave their jobs so they could train for battle and were promised their job positions once back when from war. But while the men were all out fighting, Canadian women took over their positions. Seven hundred and fifty thousand Canadian women served in Canada's war industries. Four hundred thousand Canadian women entered the civilian workforce. Seven hundred and sixty thousand Canadian women worked in agriculture. And hundreds of thousands of Canadian women volunteered their time in support of the war effort. By the end of the war, women proved to be hardworking, dedicated, and reliable workers outside of the home. But it was all taken away from them when the men came home in 1945. The returning soldiers feared that the cheap labour of large numbers of women would undercut their wages. So women all over Canada were encouraged to leave their jobs and to go back to the home. By 1946 the amount of women working had
The 1940’s to the 1970’s were 30 short years, but resulted in a huge revolutionary change to Canadian women and their place in the workforce. The women who lived during this time period fought for the rights that working women have today. Women went from working in their homes to working in stores, factories, and running the farm. There were plenty of things women had to overcome during this time, such as; filling in the job market during WWII, their return to housework when the soldiers came home, and the fight for equal pay and to be treated as an equal employee once back in the workforce. There were also some organizations, groups and laws which helped support women, one example being the ‘Royal Commission on the Status of Women’. It is obvious that women had to overcome huge obstacles to get where they are today. These 30 years were a time of change for women as they fought for equality in the workforce.
Canada declared war on Germany on September 10, 1939. Canadian men who joined the war had to leave their jobs so they could train for battle and were promised their job positions once back when from war. But while the men were all out fighting, Canadian women took over their positions. Seven hundred and fifty thousand Canadian women served in Canada's war industries. Four hundred thousand Canadian women entered the civilian workforce. Seven hundred and sixty thousand Canadian women worked in agriculture. And hundreds of thousands of Canadian women volunteered their time in support of the war effort. By the end of the war, women proved to be hardworking, dedicated, and reliable workers outside of the home. But it was all taken away from them when the men came home in 1945. The returning soldiers feared that the cheap labour of large numbers of women would undercut their wages. So women all over Canada were encouraged to leave their jobs and to go back to the home. By 1946 the amount of women working had