Reform Movements

Women’s Christian Temperance Union

(WCTU)
 The WCTU opened its first Canadian branch in 1874.
 They felt the way to protect women and children was to protest the evils of
alcohol, attendant evils, poverty and poor working conditions of the lower
class.
 The WCTU campaigned especially for temperance (limiting the use of
alcohol and encouraging sobriety) and for there to be laws to ban alcohol
entirely.
 They blamed alcohol for many social problems such as poverty.
 The WCTU also advocated for women’s suffrage in Canada as they felt this
was the only way the society would change and that alcohol would be
prohibited.
 Today, the WCTU has less members. It continues to focus on educating
society about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other non-prescription
WCTU float in Winnipeg Parade
drugs
Toronto Women’s Literary Guild
(TWLC)
 The TWLC was founded in 1876 by Dr. Emily
Stowe.
 It was the country’s first suffrage organization.
 The club worked hard on behalf of women. They
forced factory owners to improve conditions for
female workers.
 They also campaigned to get women accepted
into colleges and universities.
 The club helped create the Ontario Medical
College for Women and in 1886, it succeeded in
getting the University of Toronto to admit women.
Emily Stowe
 National Council of Women of
Canada (NCWC)

 Lady Aberdeen led this group in 1893.

 They aimed to improve the status of women and social
conditions for women and children.
 They were influenced by the WCTU but not religious
enough to join.
 At a time when women couldn’t vote in the federal
election, the NCWC hoped to become a “parliament of
women,” a council where women’s views could be
presented and debated.
 The NCWC and its members have encouraged the NWCW in Ottawa,
development of institutions such as the Victorian Order of Ontario, 1898
Nurses, and children’s aid societies.
Women’s Institutes

 The Women’s Institute was founded by Adelaide Hoodless.

Hoodless lost her 14-month-old son as a result of drinking
contaminated milk. She felt that her own education did not
provide the knowledge needed to run a household.
 Because of the tragedy, Adelaide began her campaign for the
education of women in household management.
 She promoted the theme of domestic science education in
public schools.
 The group of rural women came together to gain more
knowledge of child care, healthy eating, and hygiene to avoid
diseases.
 Suffrage was not a goal of the group as they didn’t want to Adelaide Hoodless
change the women’s work or place in the world.