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Who Could Vote? 1791

Although the Canada Act created an elected Assembly, not everyone was eligible to vote in the elections. Drawing lots for landThere were limitations according to property. An eligible voter had to own a certain amount of property or pay a certain amount of rent. This disqualified most city workers and domestic employees and almost all women (although women weren't officially disenfranchised until 1834 when the Patriote, Louis-Joseph Papineau, felt that politics were becoming too violent for women to participate).

Not everyone was in a position to run for election, either. Only the well-to-do could afford to travel to the city and sit in the Assembly as an unpaid legislator.

 

 

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