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March 2, 2026 – Financial Freedom: A Revolution Still in Progress
The topic of women and money is both fascinating and deeply relevant. Since we began speaking about it more within the Foundation, my curiosity has only grown. Today, it feels particularly important to reflect on the history of women and their relationship with money in Quebec. That history is also part of our own, and understanding where we come from is essential if we wish to continue moving forward.
The story of money in Quebec cannot be told without the story of women: their struggles, their victories, their frustrations, and the obstacles they had to overcome. Consider this: it was only in 1931 that married women finally gained the right to manage their own salaries. Before that, the law gave husbands full control. Not so long ago, a wife sometimes had to plead for a weekly allowance to feed the children, clothe the family, and perhaps save a little. Yet this was not empowerment. It was survival. Behind every penny saved often lay an invisible negotiation, and many women did not even know the exact salary of their husband. Money was not shared property. It was a form of power to which they had only limited access.
Gradually, cracks began to appear in the rigid model of the “provider and the homemaker.” The 1968 Divorce Act, for example, disrupted the assumption that marriage guaranteed economic security. Women
could no longer rely on this promise alone. Many entered the workforce, learned to contribute financially, and began to claim a voice in financial decision-making. Joint bank accounts were introduced as symbols of shared management. In practice, however, they often reinforced male control. It did not take long for women to recognize that true autonomy required having an account of their own.
Meetings, discussions, and activities of a group from the Council on the Status of Women at the YWCA on René-Lévesque Boulevard West in Montreal, in 1978. Photo provided by the Office du film du Québec.
The 1960s marked a turning point. Women were finally allowed to open a bank account without their husband’s authorization. In 1975, Quebec formally recognized gender equality before the law. In 1981, a woman was appointed Minister of Finance for the first time, and in 1995, pay equity legislation set a major precedent. It is astonishing to think that all of this unfolded within just a few decades. What I now take for granted—financial independence, the right to sign a contract, to invest, or even to lead a business—
was unthinkable for the women who came before me.
And yet, the journey is not over. Stereotypes remain stubborn. But the reality tells another story: more and more women are educating themselves, seeking training, investing, and building their economic independence. Each step in this direction helps dismantle outdated clichés and shapes new standards.
What moves me most is seeing how women have transformed constraint into strength. Those who once stretched tiny budgets to feed their families left us a powerful lesson: we are capable of creativity, resilience, and courage. Today, we can channel that same energy into our projects, our dreams, and our ambitions. Of course, there are still ceilings to break, inequalities to address, and attitudes to change. Yet we have powerful allies: education, solidarity, and a deep conviction that money must no longer be a man’s domain, but everyone’s concern.
Each time I make a financial decision, whether large or small, I feel I am also writing a line in this shared history. I would like to invite you to do the same. Because the history of money in Quebec is not only a matter of laws or landmark dates. Above all, it is a history of women who, one after another, decided they were no longer willing to remain on the sidelines. Today, it is up to us to continue the journey.
A woman ready to walk the path paved by her ancestors
