What was the Women's Suffrage Movement?
Quick answer: The effort by women to achieve the right to vote. In our practice tests 82% of 95 answers were correct, and the most common mistake is choosing “The effort by women to be in Parliament”.
Why is this the correct answer?
The Women's Suffrage Movement was the effort by women to achieve the right to vote. Manitoba was the first province to grant women the vote in 1916, and federal voting rights followed in 1918.
Study Tip
The Women's Suffrage Movement was a significant social and political campaign. It focused on a fundamental right that was initially denied to many women in Canada.
What should you know about this topic?
The women's suffrage movement was the effort by women to win the right to vote. "Suffrage" means the right to vote. In Canada's early years, only men could vote in federal elections, and women from many backgrounds organized, petitioned and spoke out to change this.
Discover Canada explains that, thanks to the efforts of women such as Dr. Emily Stowe, the first woman to practise medicine in Canada, the movement gained strength. In 1916, Manitoba became the first province to give women the right to vote. In 1917, thanks to Sir Robert Borden's government, the federal vote was extended to women serving as military nurses and to women whose close relatives were serving in the armed forces. In 1918, most Canadian women aged 21 and over got the right to vote in federal elections. Quebec granted women the provincial vote in 1940. Agnes Macphail, a farmer and teacher, became the first woman MP in 1921.
The guide notes that some groups, including many Indigenous people and Asian Canadians, were denied the vote for longer. This topic connects to test questions about voting rights, the First World War home front, and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees equality of women and men. Today every Canadian citizen aged 18 or older has the right to vote, a right protected by the Charter.
Why are the other answers wrong?
- The effort by women to be in Parliament: Being elected is related but separate; suffrage is about the right to vote.
- The effort by women to participate in military service: Women served as nurses in the wars, but that is not what suffrage means.
- An unsuccessful movement to get husbands to do housework: This is not a real historical movement, and suffrage was successful.
What is the most common mistake?
Learners may confuse "suffrage" with "suffering" or with the right to sit in Parliament. Suffrage specifically means the right to vote.
How can you remember the answer?
Suffrage = say at the ballot. Manitoba first (1916), most women federally by 1918.
Original data
How many people get this question right?
82% of 95 practice answers from about 72 people were correct. The most common wrong answer is "The effort by women to be in Parliament", chosen 7% of the time. The data covers practice tests on BecomeACitizen.ca from March 31, 2026 to September 30, 2026.
How hard is this question compared with others?
It is the 78th easiest of the 167 questions we have enough data to rank. The average for the Canada's History chapter is 68% correct, and the average across all questions is 75%. You need 75% to pass the real test.
These are practice questions written from the official Discover Canada guide. IRCC does not publish the real test questions. See the full ranking in the 20 most-missed citizenship test questions or browse more Canada's History questions.
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Which part of Discover Canada is this question from?
This question is from the Canada's History section of the Canadian citizenship test. The test consists of 20 multiple-choice questions drawn from the official Discover Canada study guide. You need to score at least 75% (15 out of 20 correct) to pass.
This chapter has 61 questions in our database. Studying chapter by chapter is one of the most effective ways to prepare, as it helps you build deep understanding of each topic before moving to the next.
How should you study for the citizenship test?
Start by reading the complete how-to-pass guide, then work through each chapter in the study mode. When you feel ready, take a full exam simulation with the real 45-minute time limit.