If women had the vote there would be no need to come twice asking for
better legislation for women and children, no need to come again and
again for the appointment of women inspectors where women and children
are employed; we would not ask in vain for the raising of the wage or
consent. We do not want to vote as men, we want to vote as women—the
more womanly the better.
—Henrietta
Muir Edwards, 1907
. . . at the present time almost every Canadian woman, who is at all
interested in questions of the day dealing with education,
philanthropy, or social life, is in favor of some form of woman
franchise, whether school, municipal, or parliamentary . . .The higher
education of women, their organized efforts to ameliorate the
condition of the poor, or benefit the community, their position in the
labour market necessitating laws to protect their interests and
welfare, have taught our women that on this account it would be well
to have a direct influence upon those who govern.
—Henrietta Muir Edwards (1901)
The woman is queen in her home and reigns there, but unfortunately the
laws she makes reach no further than her domain. If her laws, written
or unwritten, are to be enforced outside, she must come into the
political world as well—and she has come.
—Henrietta Muir Edwards (1901)
This decision marks the abolition of sex in politics. . . . Personally
I do not care whether or not women ever sit in the Senate, but we
fought for the privilege for them to do so. We sought to establish the
personal individuality of women and this decision is the announcement
of our victory. It has been an up-hill fight.
—Henrietta Muir Edwards, 1929