The Jasper Adult Learning Council is calling all young woman, 25 and under, to submit a piece of writing to celebrate the 100th annual International Women’s Day on March 8. 

The writings are to be read at the “Women in the Fur Trade” event on March 8, that will celebrate David Thompson’s Métis wife Charlotte Small. 

Ginette Marcoux-Frigon, executive director of the Adult Learning Council, says the council has been hosting events to celebrate International Women’s Day for years, but decided to make it a special one for the 100th edition. With so many celebrations pointed towards Thompson, it was decided to show some recognition to his other half. 

“We wanted to focus on the women (of the fur trade),” Marcoux-Frignon said. 

The gala evening – set for March – will feature keynote speaker Sylvia Van Kirk, a retired University of Toronto professor who has studied women of Thompson’s era. She penned Many Tender Ties, a book that studies the relationships between First Nations, Métis and caucasian women and the men of the fur trade. 

Marcoux-Frignon said each year the council tries to bring together women young and old to keep the celebration of International Women’s Day alive in Jasper. 

“We really try to focus on an inter-generational approach to whatever we’re hosting,” she said. 

The idea came after it was realized that young women didn’t know about the internationally celebrated day. Last year the theme was Filipina women, which helped bring Jasper together with its Filipino community. 

This year writings are being accepted to be read at the event until March 4 at the Adult Learning Council. The International Women’s Day Committee will choose the top five authors to win a prize and read their piece in front of the crowd at the gala evening. Poetry, short stories and more are all acceptable, but Marcoux-Frignon says they should stick to the 100th anniversary theme. 

“The whole idea is that by doing some research on it, that they will learn,” Marcoux-Frignon said. 

Submissions can be emailed to calcinfo@yrec.ab.ca, or dropped off at the Adult Learning Council’s Patricia St. location. 

The writings will not be the only entertainment at the gala evening. Grace Kohn will be performing a monologue as Charlotte Small, telling her history from when she was abandoned by her father at a young age to her life with Thompson. 

“The monologue will be really nice,” Marcoux-Frignon said. 

Servers and other staff will be in period costumes for the evening, and guests are encouraged, although not required, to dress up. Men are more than welcome to attend, and Marcoux-Frignon hopes they will see more following their record year last year. 

“Last year was probably the biggest group of men we’ve had,” she said. “Men are certainly welcome to come celebrate the progress of women over the last 100 years.”

The night will also feature crafts that were done by women of the fur trade such as basket weaving  throughout the evening. 

Marcoux-Frignon said they are taking advantage of having Van Kirk in Jasper, and have also organized an afternoon talk with her on March 10. The afternoon will feature a showing of Women in the Shadows, a film about the women who supported the fur trade behind the scenes. The event is slated for 1 p.m., but Marcoux-Frignon said the location is to be announced. Anyone interested should stop by the Adult Learning Council for more information.

The Women in the Fur Trade gala evening tickets are available at the Adult Learning Council. The event will be held on March 8 at the Sawridge Hotel and Conference Centre. Tickets are limited. 

International Women’s Day fast facts

1911 Following the agreement reached at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women’s Day (IWD) was honoured for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on March 19. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on March 25, the tragic “Triangle Fire” in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the U.S. that became a focus of subsequent International Women’s Day events. 1911 also saw women’s “Bread & Roses” campaign.

1913-1914 On the eve of World War I, campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. Later in 1913 following discussions, International Women’s Day was transferred to March 8 and this day has remained the global date for International Women’s Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women’s solidarity.

1917 On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for “bread and peace” in response to the death of over two million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional government granted women the right to vote. The date the women’s strike commenced was Sunday, Feb. 23 on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was March 8.

1918-1999 Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women’s Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to co-ordinate international efforts for women’s rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 

In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on member states to proclaim a day for women’s rights and international peace. Following the United Nations’ lead, Canada chose March 8 as International Women’s Day (IWD).

Canadian women have made enormous strides. The current government has the highest percentage of women in cabinet in Canadian history. The House of Commons currently has 67 women.

There has also been a long-term increase in the share of women who are working in managerial positions. In 2007, 35 per cent of those employed in managerial positions were women.