"A matter of principal": female involvement in politics and labour at the Lakehead, 1903-1918
Abstract
"A Matter of Principal" : Female Involvement in Politics and Labour at the Lakehead,
1903-1918” is an analysis of the role women played in the social, political, and labouring
sphere at the Canadian Lakehead (comprised of the twin cities of Port Arthur and Fort
William, Ontario – present day Thunder Bay) during the early twentieth century.
Through an analysis of the involvement of women in the workforce, strikes, and political
organizations, it contends that a parallel narrative of female involvement in the
Lakehead’s labouring history exists between 1903 and 1918. During this period, women
were involved in advocating for, and giving a voice to, both themselves and their sex in
a largely male dominated area and era of influence.