REGINA — 1949 was a big year of change when it came to elections and voting rights in Canada and Saskatchewan.
Until Jan. 1, 1949, First Nations people were banned from voting in provincial elections. That year, the Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act was passed by the federal government. It took some time for the various legislatures across the country to make similar moves. Eleven years later, in 1960, a Saskatchewan law came into effect to allow First Nations to vote without having to relinquish their rights or treaty rights, which were the rules prior to the change. That applied even to First Nations people who had served in the armed forces and in the Second World War and the First World War.
B.C. was the first to make the change in 1949, and in 1969, Quebec was the last province to make the move. Learn more about 100 Years of CKRM at 620ckrm.com.
100 Years of Saskatchewan History
This article is part of a series that celebrates both the history of Saskatchewan and the 100th anniversary of one of Saskatchewan’s most storied radio stations. For more key moments from the last 100 years, visit the CKRM timeline.
