Wait… 1922 so that’s a 100 years old!

With a full century of existence, Camp Ouareau has impacted thousands of young women, who in turn have shaped its path and its legacy of strong, independent women empowered to make an impact by being themselves.

Camp Ouareau was founded in 1922 by two school teachers, Mabel Jamieson and Ferna Halliday (a graduate of Queen’s university), at a time where camps for girls were extremely rare, and voting for women in Québec was still more than 20 years away. A friend of Miss Halliday recalled “It wasn’t right for a lady to start out on her own without a husband or some ‘man’ to help her make decisions like where to go, and so on. But not Miss Halliday: she seemed to know exactly what she wanted.” Considered some of the early pioneers of camping for girls, their original intention was to provide young women an experience of nature and outdoor activities before their marriage.

Learn about the inspiring women who have made Ouareau possible

Here you will see that Camp Ouareau is part of a long history of women standing up for their rights! This timeline focuses on what is called suffrage in Canada. Women fought for suffrage throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, which means that they fought for the right to vote. Having the right to vote in elections means that the law recognizes your voice as worthy of being heard.

Ouareau was created before any woman in Quebec was allowed to vote. While this is extremely impressive, it is also important to acknowledge that for a long time in both the United States and Canada, women (and men) of colour were excluded from these same rights.

1851 - Sojourner Truth, a former slave in the U.S., gave the speech “Ain’t I a Woman,” focusing on the differences in the treatment of white women and women of colour within the feminist movement. Despite being actively oppressed by the governm… — **1851** - Sojourner Truth, a former slave in the U.S., gave the speech “Ain’t I a Woman,” focusing on the differences in the treatment of white women and women of colour within the feminist movement. Despite being actively oppressed by the government, Truth’s speech shows that women of colour did not stay silenced.

1853 - Mary Ann Shadd published the first Black, female-owned newspaper in Canada. She argued for both women’s suffrage in Canada and the abolition of slavery. — **1853** - Mary Ann Shadd published the first Black, female-owned newspaper in Canada. She argued for both women’s suffrage in Canada and the abolition of slavery.

1922- By 1922 Black and White women could vote in every province except Quebec. - Mabel Jamieson and Ferna Halliday found Camp Ouareau. At the time, Quebec law made it so that women could not vote, nor buy or own property without their father o… — **1922**- By 1922 Black and White women could vote in every province except Quebec. - Mabel Jamieson and Ferna Halliday found Camp Ouareau. At the time, Quebec law made it so that women could not vote, nor buy or own property without their father or husband’s permission. Mabel and Ferna fought against the odds to get their fathers’ permission in order to buy the land we camp on today.

1928 - Canadian women go to the Olympics for the first time. All women who competed were white. 1934 - Dorothy Percival became the director of Camp, and she believed in women’s education, and paid for some campers to go to school.&nbs… — **1928** - Canadian women go to the Olympics for the first time. All women who competed were white.
**1934** - Dorothy Percival became the director of Camp, and she believed in women’s education, and paid for some campers to go to school.

1940 - Some women in Quebec obtain the right to vote.1946 - Viola Desmond challenges racial segregation in Canada by refusing to leave a whites-only section of a movie theatre in Nova Scotia.1947 - Chinese and Indian Canadians (women and m… — **1940** - Some women in Quebec obtain the right to vote.
**1946** - Viola Desmond challenges racial segregation in Canada by refusing to leave a whites-only section of a movie theatre in Nova Scotia.
**1947** - Chinese and Indian Canadians (women and men) obtain the right to vote across Canada.

1948  - Japanese-Canadians (men and women) granted the right to vote across Canada. 1953  -Joyce Bertram, the woman who introduced Ouareau’s mascot Bymph, became the director of Camp Ouareau. 1970 - Madeleine Allen created t… — **1948** - Japanese-Canadians (men and women) granted the right to vote across Canada.
**1953** -Joyce Bertram, the woman who introduced Ouareau’s mascot Bymph, became the director of Camp Ouareau.
**1970** - Madeleine Allen created the Language Program at camp, bringing together two aspects of Quebec’s culture.

1974 - The Native Women’s Association of Canada was founded to preserve Indigenous culture and empower the voices of Indigenous communities. They continue to do so today. 1982 - All Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) … — **1974 -** The Native Women’s Association of Canada was founded to preserve Indigenous culture and empower the voices of Indigenous communities. They continue to do so today.
**1982** - All Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) granted the right to vote. For many Indigenous peoples, gaining the right to vote has not translated directly into being treated respectfully by the rest of Canada. We must acknowledge that our Camp is situated on the traditional territory of the Atikamekw nation, a fact erased from history by many for a long time.

1994 - Jacqui Raill became the director of Camp Ouareau, a counsellor since 1975. She brought a new focus on environmentalism and sustainability to camp, and is dedicated to hearing every voice in order to make a positive impact in our community.&nb… — **1994** - Jacqui Raill became the director of Camp Ouareau, a counsellor since 1975. She brought a new focus on environmentalism and sustainability to camp, and is dedicated to hearing every voice in order to make a positive impact in our community.
**2005** - Same-sex marriage was legalized across all of Canada.

2006 - Eva Ottawa was the first woman to be elected as Grand Chief of the Council of the Atikamekw Nation (from 2006-2013), and the first Indigenous person to work as Chair of the Council on the Status of Women in Quebec. — **2006** - Eva Ottawa was the first woman to be elected as Grand Chief of the Council of the Atikamekw Nation (from 2006-2013), and the first Indigenous person to work as Chair of the Council on the Status of Women in Quebec.

2011 - Gabrielle Raill became the co-director of Camp Ouareau and she puts a lot of effort into creating a positive girl community that not only inspires girls at camp, but to helps them make a positive impact in the outside world. — **2011** - Gabrielle Raill became the co-director of Camp Ouareau and she puts a lot of effort into creating a positive girl community that not only inspires girls at camp, but to helps them make a positive impact in the outside world.

2012 - The movement Idle No More was founded by three First-Nations women and one non-Indigenous woman, to fight against legislation that is harmful and oppressive towards Indigenous peoples. — **2012** - The movement Idle No More was founded by three First-Nations women and one non-Indigenous woman, to fight against legislation that is harmful and oppressive towards Indigenous peoples.

2014 - Ouareau changed its team names from Iroquois, Algonquin and Micmac and has also shifted many of the names and signs on Camp too. Even these names will change in the future. Many camps, ours included, have a long history of racism and cultural… — **2014** - Ouareau changed its team names from Iroquois, Algonquin and Micmac and has also shifted many of the names and signs on Camp too. Even these names will change in the future. Many camps, ours included, have a long history of racism and cultural appropriation of Indigenous names and traditions. We need to recognize our part in this oppression and continue to work and listen to be as respectful as possible to Indigenous communities.