Canada's NDP

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January 12th, 2016

Break through the paper ceiling

Prominent Canadian women should be featured on Canada’s banknotes, the NDP urged today.

“It’s time to break through the paper ceiling and feature prominent Canadian women on Canada’s money bills,” said NDP status of women critic Sheila Malcolmson (Nanaimo-Ladysmith). “As we reach Canada’s 150th anniversary, the Queen shouldn’t be the only woman who is celebrated on our money.”

The only images of Canadian women to appear on our currency were removed by the Conservative government when they replaced the Famous Five and Thérèse Casgrain, who advocated women’s voting rights, with an icebreaker on the polymer notes.

Over 64,000 Canadians have signed a petition requesting that women from Canadian history be honoured on our currency. In a letter to Finance Minister Bill Morneau, Malcolmson called on the Minister to reverse the Conservative decision and ensure that prominent Canadian women are duly recognized on our polymer banknotes.

“We must take every opportunity to celebrate the work, sacrifices and courage that women throughout Canadian history have displayed to build this country,” said Malcolmson. “Our banknotes should be prominent everyday reminders of those efforts and indeed of the contributions to that shared history made by people of all genders, ages, and ethnicities.”