Women unite

At the beginning of the 20th century, women are evolving at the margins of the political arena. They have little access to the world of employment, trades or liberal professions. Instead, they are active in educational institutions, hospitals and orphanages when they do not join the ranks of religious communities. They work in community support and become involved in a variety of causes. Ottawa will be the birthplace of French Canada’s most important women’s associations. Their presence bears witness to a sisterhood firmly rooted in history, even anticipating certain demands of contemporary feminist movements.

The Fédération nationale des femmes canadiennes-françaises (FFCF) is the first non-religious grouping of French-speaking women to emerge outside of Quebec. Founded in 1914 by Almanda Walker-Marchand to support the war effort, the FFCF, then called the Association des dames canadiennes-françaises, gradually re-orients its mission to defend the interests of Francophone women in social, economic and political affairs. Beginning in the 1960s, the FFCF sensitizes Francophone women in minority communities about their situation and their needs. It fights to obtain adult education programs in French. The Federation is also involved in several political issues, including the well-known C’est l’temps movement.

While the FFCF strives to raise the awareness of women regarding public affairs, other associations focus on defending a more traditional conception of their role in society. This is particularly the case for the Jeanne Le Ber circles, founded in Ottawa in 1943 to promote household arts, but above all to enable its members to “preside with skill and intelligence over the life of a household” and to fulfill their “family duties.”1 The work of this organization is part of a broader movement to re-evaluate domestic work and encourage women to return to their home after World War II, during which many Canadian women invested in the employment sector and took a temporary leave from their traditional functions.

Meanwhile, an association such as the Société d’étude et de conférences, which opens a section in the Ottawa-Hull region in 1946, promotes the continuing education of women. This extremely active organisation organizes literary competitions, exhibitions, trips and lectures. It grants scholarships to women wishing to pursue their studies at the Bachelor’s level. At a time when access to higher education is still filled with obstacles for women, these initiatives are at least forward-thinking. Also noteworthy are eminent Francophone women from the Ottawa-Hull area who chair the Société in Montréal: Georgette Lamoureux (1974-1976), Marie-Paul Stewart (1983-1985) and Régine Wyczynski (1993-1995). 

During the 1980s, this world of ​​women’s associations gradually expands. It results in a network of groups and services for Francophone women in Ontario, with Ottawa at the epicentre. The Centre d’accès pour femmes de l’Est is established in 1982 to promote access to employment and help women integrate into the labour market. The Réseau national d’action éducation femmes is created in 1983 to meet the education and training needs of Francophone women at the national level.

1 Bulletin published by the Association des “Jeanne Le Ber,” vol. 1, no. 3, June 1946, University of Ottawa, CRCCF, C49/1/1 (translated from the original).

i

Members of the Fédération des femmes canadiennes-françaises (FFCF) national executive, in the company of chaplain René Martin; Almanda Walker-Marchand, President and founder; and Wilhelmine Desrosiers. Standing: Rose Laplante, Ms. Hector Santiago, Agnès Gauthier, Ottawa, 1945. Photo: Lucien Racine.

Source: University of Ottawa, CRCCF, Fonds Fédération nationale des femmes canadiennes-françaises (C53), Ph52-1.

Black and white photograph of a group of women of various ages, wearing hats and dresses and fur stoles, except for one. Two women are seated, and one holds a bouquet of flowers. A priest is seated to their right. Three other women are standing behind them.

FFCF supports the C'est l'temps movement

Press release pledging Fédération des femmes canadienne-française (FFCF) support for the C’est l’temps movement, Ottawa, January 20, 1976. Committed to defending the interests of Francophone women in social and economic matters, the Federation also becomes involved in many political issues.

University of Ottawa, CRCCF, Fonds Jacqueline-Pelletier (P85), P85-1/3/8.

Text typewritten in French. The press release title, origin and date appear at the top of the page. The text is printed in a single column, with “-30-“ appearing at the bottom, along with a contact name and telephone number.

Jeanne Le Ber

Cover page of the “Jeanne Le Ber” bulletin, vol. 1, no. 1, January 1946, published by the Association des “Jeanne Le Ber”. Even if the organization is aiming “to empower women as housewifes” (translated from the original), it does not completely set aside the role they can and should play in social and political life.

University of Ottawa, CRCCF, Fonds Les “Jeanne Le Ber” (C49), C49/1/1.

Bulletin printed in French. The title, place of publication, and other publication information appear at the top of the cover page along with a logo. Two texts come under the heading, in two columns. At the bottom of the page, a program of social studies regarding the duties of women in social and political life.

Activities of the Société d’étude et de conférences

List of lectures and activities of the Société d'étude et de conférences, Ottawa-Hull section, 1958-1983 – from the souvenir book commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Society, p. 107. Its illustrious special guests represent various sectors of community life: arts and science, literature, philosophy, history and politics.

University of Ottawa, CRCCF, Fonds Société d’étude et de conférences, section Ottawa-Hull (C70), C70/3/3.

French list, organized chronologically. The names of the speakers and the titles of their presentations appear for each academic year, indicated in bold. The title of the document also appears in bold.

“Des femmes… des femmes”

Jacqueline Pelletier, a Francophone leader, grew up surrounded by women. She talks about the different ways in which they invested in their community. Photo: Sylvain Nadeau, January 6, 2013.

“Des femmes... des femmes” (“Women… women”). Excerpt from the “major witness” interview granted by Jacqueline Pelletier to the Chantier Ottawa (“Construction dʼune mémoire française à Ottawa : savoirs communautaires et réseaux sociaux” project), 2012. 

University of Ottawa, CRCCF, Projet Chantier Ottawa, Jacqueline Pelletier - Des femmes … des femmes.

Colour studio photograph of an older woman with curly gray hair. She wears a black jacket, with a green scarf tied around her neck. She is smiling.
Transcription

J. Pelletier: “Women… women”

My mother was among the patronesses of Camp Saint-Louis because the Saint-Charles Parish had a youth camp, where I didn’t get to go because I was the youngest, but where my brother, my sisters went. And the patronesses made sandwiches for tea parties called for fundraising. So, I grew up with the ladies who came to our house. My mother took out her wash tubs, because we had a wringer machine, the wash tubs. She put a tablecloth in the tubs, and they filled with sandwiches. And we went to serve them.

It was not called ‘volunteering,’ but it was a donation you made of yourself in another form.

And the other great influence I've often talked about, that is my sisters, who were members of the ‘Ligue de la jeunesse féminine’. That was before people like me and others said, ‘No, it's up to the government to look after the poor, the social matters.’ The Ligue de la jeunesse féminine was women who organized a social event each year, the ‘Bal des petits souliers’. During the year, they knitted toques, mittens and socks. They would visit families in need to measure the feet of the children; they went into the houses. After the event, they would use the money to buy shoes. And they would go and distribute the shoes, the mittens, the tuques, etc.

At home, because I had several sisters active in the movement, I grew up with women, women, and women. There was my mother with her entourage of sandwich ladies, then my sisters with the knitters. I grew up in this environment.

There’s no doubt, as I told you earlier, that my personal influences are important. Without [realizing it], I picked it all up. To me, these women were goddesses. They were all-powerful. They changed the world. So, they’re very important  (Translated from the original).

Social support and national solidarity
A militant youth