Then & Now: Women in Canadian Legislatures

Sarah Ramsland trained as a teacher, then taught in her native Minnesota until her marriage and move to Saskatchewan in 1906. She came from a political background as members of both her family and her husband's family had served in the Minnesota State Legislature. She and her husband had three children. Her husband was elected to the Saskatchewan legislature as Liberal member for Pelly riding in 1917, but died in 1918.

In 1919, Mrs. Ramsland won the Liberal nomination for Pelly riding and the by-election and was re-elected in the 1921 provincial election, while continuing to raise her family alone.

The issues which concerned her were education, particularly the need for high schools in rural areas, local textbooks and libraries. Late in her political career she introduced a resolution to create equal grounds for divorce for men and women which received the unanimous support of the members.

After leaving office, she worked in Regina for the Saskatchewan Provincial Library in charge of its travelling library service. She continued community work, holding executive positions in such organizations as the Women's Canadian Club and the Business and Professional Women's Club and through membership in the Eastern Star and the Red Cross.

Suggested Readings:

Kalamakoff, Elizabeth. -- "Naturally Divided: Women in Saskatchewan Politics, 1916-1919". -- Saskatchewan History. -- Vol. 46, no. 2 (autumn 1994). -- P. 3-18.

Saskatchewan Diamond Jubilee Corporation; Saskatchewan Women's Division. -- Notable Saskatchewan women: 1905-1980. -- Regina: Saskatchewan Labour, Women's Divsion, 1980? -- P. 24.

Savage, Candace. -- Foremothers: personalities and issues from the history of women in Saskatchewan. -- Saskatoon: C. Savage, 1975. -- p. 41-44.

Introduction

Canadian Legislators