It’s not hard to see that women from the Prairies differ from women in places like Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, etc. They’re urban, whereas women in Saskatchewan are rural. It’s for them that the province celebrated March as Rural Women’s Month.
“Rural women do now and have always contributed greatly to the province and our way of life through their involvement in farm and ranch operations and their hands-on support,” said Agriculture Minister, Lyle Stewart. “By that I mean sometimes they’re more involved than their male counterparts in bookkeeping and other things.”
During this month, various organizations across the province showcase special women from varying backgrounds and professions who have contributed to their communities in some way.
In particular, Stewart says small communities demonstrate this clearly because women who help out on the farm are also involved in their communities either through volunteer work or by being involved in businesses.
“I think of one of the things that make rural women different are the ones involved in farming operations that not only support their husband’s work, but also work hand-in-hand while doing other things, particularly community involvement,” he said. “Women take up that role more than men and it much appreciated and necessary to keep these communities going.”
Besides helping out their counterparts on the farms, these women run their own businesses, work full-time jobs, and help raise their families. Stewart says that although women across the country have equal opportunities, the ones in Saskatchewan have it tougher in a different way.
“I think women’s roles in rural Saskatchewan are maybe more diverse than they are in urban settings because farming and ranching is such a big part of the economy,” he said. “They take up opportunities in that industry that aren’t necessarily available to urban women and are still professionals and entrepreneurs in their own right.”
According to a 2010 Statistics Canada report, regardless of where one or both parents are working (or neither) or age of the child (up to 14 years old), the woman always spends considerably more time caring for the child. Moreover, the statistics translate to about the same when it comes to domestic work.
Coupled with the work they do outside the home, these statistics show that the average rural woman bears quite a bit of responsibility on her shoulders compared to men.
“Certainly rural women are as liberated and diverse in their activities as any woman you can find anywhere, but community involvement is essential in rural Saskatchewan,” said Stewart.
