Letters of Support

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I offer my strongest support for the Canadian Women's History Museum.  I consider it to be of the greatest importance for Canada to recognize and document the extraordinary achievements and contributions made by women from across our nation.  The Canadian Women's History Museum will not only present and  preserve the history of the wide range of work that women have done, but will demonstrate how essential their contributions have been in the development and evolution of our country.  Understanding  what women have accomplished, often under significant duress, will inspire young women to pursue futures that will make Canada greater.I am most pleased to support every aspect of the Museum.

I lend my full support to the exciting new initiative to create a Canadian Women's History Museum. 

My research over the past 20 years has focussed on the exclusion of women’s histories and contributions in museums. I work closely with the International Association of Women’s Museums, which supports the research, education and activist work of its 102 member museums across the globe. 

Museums matter because they are storytellers and stories are how we make structure out of chaos, give purpose, meaning and visibility to individual and collective lives. Through stories we develop new knowledge and a sense of identity, agency, belonging and socio-cultural power. 

Just as stories matter, so do their tellers. Since their invention museums have played a key role as storytellers. The Canadian Women’s History Museum will be an invaluable space that tells alternative and expanded stories, the stories of women in all diversity from across Canada that have been denied a public audience and intellectual credibility. 

The Canadian Women’s History Museum will be more than just a space of historical memory; it will be an opportunity to reshape the present and a more gender just future.

Women's history is history. It must be learned and shared with all Canadians. What's more, it is written every day. It is current. A living, breathing story that continues to expand and evolve. 

There will come a day when the phrase "the first woman to...” will refer only to women long since gone. As it stands, this is a phrase that is still relevant. Our history books sometimes skip over the fact that often the “first woman to..” is also the “first person to..."

Canada has a long list of trailblazing women who have contributed immeasurably to the history of this country. Throughout history, women have been there. They have done extraordinary things. It is important that there is a living record of this. When we make the history of women visible, we make it possible for others to follow in their footsteps. Young people must see women not as an addendum to history but instead, see themselves reflected in it. 

I very much support the creation of The Canadian Museum of Women's History. I applaud Arlene Hache, Heather Morrison, and Mary Clancy in this endeavour to preserve the stories of Canadian women and to make them accessible to all. I truly believe this is a most worthwhile project that will empower all Canadians and especially Canadian women. 

Throughout Canadian history there has always been the contribution of a women’s intellect, of her physical and moral effort, whether or not she ever had a chance to sit at the table. There have always been women who began conversations, added to conversations, or simply asked “why not?” that catapulted Canada forward. This is a truly great country because of the combined effort of women and men.     

Sadly, the contribution of men to Canadian nation building is significant and well recognized, while the contribution of the Canadian women is woefully missing.  

 A Canadian museum dedicated to the women whose hearts and minds laboured to put the right pieces together, the pieces that made us unique in the world should exist. We owe it to the generations that follow us to set the example of well earned recognition for the significant contribution Canadian women have made to all of our lives. We owe it to the Canadian women who added their spirit to our culture to the very texture of our existence as we enjoy it today.  

I wish such a Museum as the Canadian Museum of Women’s History had existed when I was a girl. I wish such a Museum as the Canadian Museum of Women’s History had existed when my own daughters were making their way in the world. I hope such a museum exists for my own grandchildren.  

I fully support the project of establishing a museum dedicated to the crucial role played by women in the development of Canada. In the traditional teaching of our history no emphasis has ever been placed on the vital role played by women.  

A museum stressing that role in all the different aspects of daily life is an absolute necessity and especially important in this the twenty first century- not only for women but equally so for men.  

Congratulations and success on a great undertaking!

The Canadian Museum of Women’s History has my unwavering support. 

Let us champion this important initiative and create a space where all women’s voices and achievements are celebrated throughout our nation’s history.

As we continue to work towards a more equitable society, it is essential that we amplify diverse voices and recognize the invaluable impact of women past, present, and future. 

The Museum will play a vital role in educating visitors about the remarkable achievements of women across various fields – telling their stories and inspiring generations to come.

I am pleased to express support for the proposed Canadian Museum of Women’s History. It is thrilling to think of the prospect of providing a permanent home to specifically recognize contributions of Canadian women.    

Museums in general add a great deal to the quality of life as they preserve artifacts, educate us and give insight into our heritage and culture. With knowledge comes appreciation.    

This particular museum will focus on a group, yea a gender, often overlooked when history was written. Much of daily life did not get the recognition that wars and governments got, so women’s efforts usually were overlooked when history was written, statues erected I support the establishment of the Canadian Museum of Women’s History (CMWH) in order to institutionalize the incorporation of the stories of Canadian women into Canada’s national narrative.  

As an archival, educational, organizational and outreach centre, it will be the fulfillment of an ambitious vision to recognize, communicate and remember the many contributions of women in our country, including those of indigenous women. and streets named.    

When I was a child in a two-room country school, there were precious few women featured in the pages of my provincially-approved history book. It was ground-breaking when the Hon. Ellen Fairclough became the first female minister in the federal cabinet as the Secretary of State for Canada in 1957 when I was ten years old. I had not even thought that women could be lawyers until the Hon. Judy LaMarsh burst onto the scene in 1963 as the second woman ever appointed to the cabinet. These were two individuals who broke barriers in a high profile way, but there are so many others that most of us know nothing about.     

It is an exciting proposal to create a museum dedicated to women’s history… about time.   

I support the establishment of the Canadian Museum of Women’s History (CMWH) in order to institutionalize the incorporation of the stories of Canadian women into Canada’s national narrative.

As an archival, educational, organizational and outreach centre, it will be the fulfillment of an ambitious vision to recognize, communicate and remember the many contributions of women in our country, including those of indigenous women.

Jeanne Sarson and I share our support for such an important project to help make the lives and work of Canadian women visible.  

In order to know who we are as Canadians we have to know where we came from. This is an impossible task unless the herstory of women and girls is included in the story of Canada. For far too long patriarchy has silenced women’s voices and stories keeping our struggle against the oppression of sexism and for the fight for equality invisible and not giving women enough credit for our innovations and contributions of moving democracy forward in Canada.

As Canadian girls and young women we kept looking for representation in the history we studied in school. These stories were absent. Young children and youth, both female and male, deserve the truth about the lived experiences of female persons in Canada.  

We thank you for your brilliant idea and may the stories of persistent, courageous, brilliant, and honourable women travel across our land flowing from the Canadian Women’s Museum of History.  

Onward! 

It is my pleasure to write this letter in support of the creation of a Canadian Museum of Women's History.

There is no history, Canadian or otherwise, without the work, energy, creativity, and sacrifice of women.  It is time that we acknowledged this crucial truth with a place, a living place, that tells the stories of all the women who built a better country and a better world.

I believe that this is not only a timely project but one that is long overdue.

Yours very sincerely,
A.  Anne McLellan

This proposed Museum is a solid idea that would be received with enthusiasm by Canadians. 

 It's 2022...time has come for such a facility! 

I am writing to express my support and enthusiasm for this important project. The place of women in Canadian history has been overlooked for too long and this imbalance needs to be rectified.       

In addition to celebrating accomplishments, a focus is needed on the barriers that have prevented women from being able to fully achieve their goals and make a larger contribution to the building of the country, whether they be rights-based or discrimination around the perceived role of women in society. Women who overcame these barriers and believed in their causes are particularly to be celebrated for persevering against all odds.      

The project should seek to ensure that the definition of ‘success’ is broadly based. Women who faced and continue to face a wide range of barriers well beyond the boardroom, whether in the home, the community, or the economy in all regions of the country, deserve particularly to be celebrated for making a difference. Leadership is different in different contexts. Indigenous women who not only fought for their rights, but carry the intergenerational burden of trauma from residential schools are heroes no matter their achievements.       

Many women have faced and continue to face systemic discrimination and exclusion. The project needs to recognize the diversity of the faces of women, not as always as a group or groups, but as individuals facing and overcoming challenges due to racial stigmatization and differential treatment. Big questions must asked, for example, about why society deems it fit to overlook and downplay the many murdered and missing Indigenous women in this country, or why it has taken so long to recognize the contributions that Black and racialized women have made and continue to contribute. The face of Canada is changing and so must our showcasing of the cross-section of Canadian women so that young women of today all see a place for themselves in Canada.      

Finally, I hope that the Museum will ensure that stereotypes  of women are dismantled. As an Indigenous woman, I believe that it is important to recognize that our languages, cultures, challenges and accomplishments both within Indigenous communities and beyond are as diverse as Canada.       

Thank you for this opportunity to express my support for this project.  

I write to join the chorus of support for the creation of a Canadian Museum of Women’s History.   

In my four decades of working with and on behalf of some of those most marginalized, victimized, criminalized and institutionalized in Canada, I have too often witnessed the myriad ways in which contributions and perspectives of women, particularly those experiencing social, economic and political marginalization, are not merely overlooked, but too often are intentionally ignored.     

The Canadian Museum of Women’s History could create space in which to recognize, credit and empower women, particularly women who have experienced historic and ongoing discrimination and oppression. It could promote equality by encouraging Canadians to ground their understanding of history in the lived experiences of women.

What an Important Project!    

I am proud to add my name to that of the list of individuals and organizations supporting the establishment of The Canadian Museum of Women’s History (CMWH). It is time to shine a light upon the untold stories and accomplishments of Canadian women, which make us aware and proud of the major role they played in Canadian’s history and progress.   

On the world stage the CMWH will strengthen Canada’s identity and recognize the achievements of trailblazing feminist advocates.    

The CMWH will fulfill the need for a place to showcase exhibits about women trailblazers, events, organizations, and issues.    

I applaud and look forward to a shining future for the CMWH. 

I am writing to enthusiastically support the Canadian Museum of Women’s History. As a long-time feminist and a documenter of the second wave of feminism in Canada through my book Ten Thousand Roses, published in 2005.  My book is an oral history of Canadian feminism expressed in the words of the diverse group of women who made that history.     

In my view, Canada’s women’s movement is the most successful in the world having won, legal abortion, women’s equality in the Charter, pay equity, employment equity, strong anti-violence laws, some gun control and a federal childcare program.       

There are important archives of the movement but those in universities are only really available to scholars.  Rise Up Women’s Archives allows those interested to find documents and interviews.  But a museum that works with the existing archives would be huge step ahead.      

In these difficult days, nothing could be more important than showing in its many aspects one of the most successful social movements in our history, not to mention the extraordinary advance of women in a single generation.