Therese Casgrain, The Common Good

The Decade for Women, proclaimed by the United Nations to eliminate discrimination against women, will end in 1985. Canada has made progress in enhancing the status of women, particularly at the constitutional level. Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which enshrines equality rights, will come into effect on 17 April 1985. This milestone is a monument to the work of Canadian women such as Thérèse Casgrain and Emily Murphy, both of whom are commemorated on postage stamps in this final year of the Decade. Born in Montreal, Thérèse Casgrain founded the Ligue des droits de la femme [League for Women's Rights] in 1920. The League tackled problems affecting women, including their right to vote in Quebec, which had been recognized at the federal level since 1918. The Quebec National Assembly had voted against twelve motions for this right. In 1938, Thérèse Casgrain succeeded in having the women's right to vote included in the platform of the Liberal Party. The party won the 1939 provincial election and honoured its commitment in 1940, in spite of opposition from some members of the clergy. Thérèse Casgrain subsequently worked for many other social and political causes and represented Canada outside the country on many occasions. She was appointed to the Senate in 1970. The principal design elements in each of these stamps are portraits of Thérèse Casgrain and Emily Murphy, with background sketches indicating the principal concerns of their active careers. Muriel Wood is the talented portrait artist; Ralph Tibbles is responsible for art direction and typography.