Canada

Senate

Political system
Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
Yes

Historical data on women

Data on women’s right to vote and to stand for election, the date at which the first woman entered parliament, and female Heads of State or Government

Women's suffrage

Notes
No information available
Year of first woman in parliament
1921
Year of first woman speaker
1972

Women’s right to vote

Women’s right to vote
1917
National or local
National
Restricted or universal suffrage
Restricted
Detail of restrictions
Women who served in the military or who had a close male relative serving in the military (i.e. a father, husband or son) were granted the right to vote
Women’s right to vote
1918
National or local
National
Restricted or universal suffrage
Restricted
Detail of restrictions
All women except for Indians
Women’s right to vote
1950
National or local
National
Restricted or universal suffrage
Restricted
Detail of restrictions
Federal franchise extended to Indians (regardless of gender) under the condition that they waive the tax exemptions given to them by the Indian Act
Women’s right to vote
1960
National or local
National
Restricted or universal suffrage
Universal

Notes: Universal adult male suffrage was not achieved federally until August 1960, with the unqualified extension of voting rights to all Indians under the Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act. It was not until 1969 (1940?), when Quebec became the last province to extend franchise rights to Indians, that provincial voting was secured.

Women’s right to stand for election

Women's right to stand for election
1919
National or local
National
Restricted or universal
Restricted
Women's right to stand for election
1929
National or local
National
Restricted or universal
Restricted
Women's right to stand for election
1950
National or local
National
Restricted or universal
Restricted
Women's right to stand for election
1960
National or local
National
Restricted or universal
Universal

Notes: Right to stand for election without any restriction

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No