Unfortunately, the importance of women in Canadian history hasn’t been adequately recognized in our national commemorative system. But the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada is working to increase commemoration of women, as well as Aboriginal Peoples and cultural communities. And you can help!

Canada has a federal government program for recognizing nationally significant people, places and events and other aspects of Canadian history. The Minister of Canadian Heritage makes the designations on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. The Board was created back in 1919. Since that time the commemorations include 897 national historic sites, 585 persons, and 354 events and other aspects of Canadian history (as of July 2003).

Together they are the system of National Historic Sites of Canada. In most cases a plaque marks the commemoration.Parks Canada administers 149 of the national historic sites.

Victorian Order of Nurses(National Archives Canada/C-054523)