Collectivité

Moose Jaw Council of Women

1916-1986

The Moose Jaw Council of Women was formed November 15, 1916 with the first regular meeting being held December 12, 1916. The first president of the Moose Jaw group was Mrs. Angus A. Graham.

It was affiliated with the Saskatchewan Council of Women which was in turn affiliated with the National Council of Women. The national body was formed September 1913.
It served primarily as an umbrella group for other women’s organizations and, as a result, the records contain numerous reports and references to the activities of women in Moose Jaw. The National Council of Women of Canada was established on October 27, 1893 in Toronto, Ontario. Lady Aberdeen, the wife of the Governor General of Canada, led their first public meeting with fifteen-hundred women in attendance. Their mission is to ‘empower all women to work together towards improving the quality of life for women, families, and society through a forum of member organizations and individuals’. On April 30, 2001, the organization was awarded the status of national historic significance by the Government of Canada for their work improving the lives of women and children throughout Canada. Currently, the organization has Provincial Councils in 5 provinces and Local Councils or study groups in 20 cities. The Provincial Council of Women of Saskatchewan was founded in 1919 and the Moose Jaw Council of Women was founded in 1916. The Council was active in a variety of social issues relating to women in the community including labor, housing, safety, violence against women. They supported the Victorian Order of Nurses in Moose Jaw and pressed for a female police officer as early as 1917.

The Council disbanded in August 1986. The last president was Eileen Zamulinski.