Democracy in Canada Brief Timeline

1849 – Responsible Government in Ontario Upper and Lower Canada’s Governor Lord Elgin accepted and elected body The executive branch was now responsible to elected Assemblies and to the people’s representatives

1867 - Confederation 4 Provinces were involved in Confederation in the 1860s: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. The British North America Act set out a federal system: Federal and Provincial branches House of Commons Senate

1916, 1918 – Women and the Vote 1916 – White women over 21 could now vote if they were British subjects 1918 – white Canadian women could vote *First Nations women could not vote until 1960

1929 – Persons Case Privy Council of Britain overturned the Supreme Court of Canada and decided “persons” legally meant men and women both Women could run for office Famous Five: Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards.

1931 – Statute of Westminster Passed by British Parliament Former colonies had power to self-govern and right to pass foreign affairs laws Former colonies equal members of British Commonwealth

1982 – Constitution Act Canada can make changes to its Constitution without going through British Parliament Charter of Rights and Freedoms – outlines the rights of citizens