It’s been a long time coming, but the official notice was given in a press conference today on which remarkable Canadian woman we be the first to have a prominent place on a Canadian banknote.
The final choice, Viola Desmond, a successful black businesswoman in Nova Scotia, whose defiance of segregationist “policies” eventually led to repeal of segregationist laws and practices.
For years many Canadians have said that it was time a woman was featured on Canadian money.
While her majesty Queen Elizabeth II has long been featured on Canadian banknotes, they have mostly featured the images of past Prime Ministers, all of them men.
Between 2004 and 2012, there was a small image of women featured on the back of the $50 banknote. These were Thérèse Casgrain, a Quebec feminist and ‘The Famous Five’ — Louise Crummy McKinney, Irene Marryat Parlby, Nellie Mooney McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Emily Murphy — who fought for women’s rights in Canada.
While this was an appreciated gesture, it was felt to be not the same as a prominent clear image.
RCI- Queen of the Hurricanes- potential candidate
Over the past year, Canadians were asked which notable Canadian woman should be featured on an upcoming series of banknotes.
Some 20 thousand submissions were received, and about ten thousand nominations. A special committee was struck to determine who should be chosen.
The criteria were that the individual had to be a Canadian (by birth or naturalization) and who had “demonstrated outstanding leadership, achievement or distinction in any field, benefiting the people of Canada, or in the service of Canada.”. The nominee also had to be dead for at least 25 years.
Of the thousands of submissions, the committee first narrowed it down to 461 eligible names. That was then reduced to 12 names, then five.
Today, it was announced that Viola Desmond would be the first Canadian woman to grace an upcoming ten dollar bill in the new 2018 series of banknotes.
At the ceremony, Desmond’s sister Ms Robson said. “It’s a big day to have a woman on a banknote. It’s a really big day to have my older sister on a banknote!”
She also said, Viola was a caring person, well spoken, dignified, and who was passionate about education, especially for young black women, who said it was needed to get ahead. She added, “if you wanted a woman other than the Queen on the bill, you’ve chosen the right person”.
Canadian Heritage minute
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