er and the
first president of the Dominion Women's Enfranchisement Association,
which secured many privileges for women.

The first woman suffrage society was organized in 1883 in the city
council chamber of Toronto with the Mayor in the chair. Mrs. Donald
McEwan was made president and other officers were Dr. Stowe, Miss Mary
McDonnell and Dr. James L. Hughes, afterwards Inspector of Schools.
Petitions were sent to the Dominion Parliament and bills presented but
when in the late 90's the Electoral Act was changed to make the
voters' list for its members coincide with the lists in the Provinces,
the latter became in a large measure the battle ground, although the
efforts for a national law were not discontinued. The movement for
Prohibition had a strong influence in the granting of woman suffrage
in the Provinces and it was hastened by the splendid war work of the
women.

The first Provincial Legislature to enfranchise women was that of
Manitoba, Jan 27, 1916. A convention of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union as early as July, 1902, passed a resolution to press
the work for it and later in the year the Labor Party endorsed equal
suffrage through its paper, _The Voice_, and its officers affiliated
with the suffrage club. Dr. Amelia Yeomans was a devoted worker. In
1906 when there was a prospect that the Municipal vote would be taken
away from married women property owners, the Liberal party convention
made its retention a plank in their platform but the Conservative
Legislature abolished it. In 1907 it was restored. In 1913 the women
succeeded in getting a full suffrage bill before one House of the
Legislature, which was defeated by 21 to 14 votes. The next year the
Liberal Party pledged itself to give the complete franchise if it won
the election. It did so and the women rolled up a big petition as a
backing. Premier Norris and the Cabinet supported the bill. The
Executive Board of the Political Equality League were invited to seats
on the floor of the House the day of the third reading and the bill
giving women equal suffrage and eligibility was passed amid great
enthusiasm by unanimous vote.

The suffragists of Alberta began extensive work in 1910 to have the
Municipal franchise possessed by widows and spinsters extended to
married women and the agitation was continued to include the full
suffrage. Following the example of Manitoba Premier A. L. Sifton
announced on Feb. 24, 1916, before the Legislature opened,