From my research it seems as though Canadian Aboriginal women are currently (and have been for many years now) in the process of making a new name for themselves, so to speak. They are working diligently and supporting one another in their efforts to build their own platform in their culture as professionals. Of these women, the one’s in technology make up just a small piece of the pie. A lot of Canadian Aboriginal women in technology and science are using their expertise to advance medical innovations.
Canadian Aboriginal women are just now beginning to gain recognition and acknowledgement for their work. I have found a sense of community amongst them as I have researched. This community not only serves to encourage each other, but to inspire younger generations and give them the strength and courage to reach their own goals and dreams professionally.
The following is a timeline representing a glimpse of Canadian Women in the history of technology and societal change found on the University of Regina Website (University of Regina, 2007):
1961: Women comprised a small proportion of various non-traditional professions in Canada: 0.25% of engineers were women; 2.64% were lawyers; 4.49% were dentists; 7.33% were physicians. 11.3% of male high school graduates went on to university; 4.6% of female graduates continued to university.
1978 • Statistics Canada released a report showing that women university graduates earned $4,000 to $7,000 less than men with equivalent. jobs and skills.
1980 • The Association of Canadian Medical Colleges stated that 32% of graduate doctors were women.
1981 • Only 5% of women apprentices were training for non-service trades. Without service trades such as hairdressing and cooking, the number was just 0.5%.
• 47% of university undergraduates were women and 37% were at the graduate level. Women were starting to enter the fields of business, engineering, medicine and law in greater numbers.
• Women of Trades, an association of women working in nontraditional jobs, was founded in Ontario. It included unionized and self-employed workers, students in technical and trades training and supportive individuals.
1982 • The first world conference of the Society for Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) was held in Vancouver.
1987 • Dr. Geraldine Kenney-Wallace was the first woman appointed Chair of the Science Council of Canada.
1991 • The National Research Council of Canada introduced the Women In Engineering and Science (WES) program to provide support to women university students pursuing careers in non-traditional areas of research in the
• Statistics Canada 1991 census results revealed that Canadians were better educated and were staying in school longer. The number of Canadian women with a degree soared by more than half a million from 1981-1991–to nearly 1.1 million.fields of engineering and science.
• Dr. Roberta Bondar was the first Canadian woman in space, where she studied the adaptation of humans to space flight.
The Indian and Northern Affairs website is set up as a forum for exemplifying those very women I am speaking of (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 2004). It specifically talks about a sort of transition Canadian Aboriginal women are making into the professional realm and in turn, commanding a new respect:
“Traditionally, Aboriginal women have commanded the highest respect within their communities as the givers of life. Women contributed to decisions about family, property rights, and education and were the keepers of their peoples’ cultural traditions. While clear divisions of labour existed, men’s and women’s work was equally valued.”
“Today, Aboriginal women are pursuing careers that enable them to play pivotal roles both in their own communities and in mainstream Canadian society.” The site then gives profiles of women to pay tribute to the thousands of Aboriginal women achieving success in diverse fields across the country. “These women serve as inspirational role models for the young Aboriginal people of today. The example they set through their dedication, vision, and hard work will encourage future generations of young Aboriginal women to follow their dreams.”
