ement ▁to ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁nation ▁from ▁" ra cial ▁deg ener ation ." ▁ ▁Women ▁had ▁local ▁votes ▁in ▁some ▁provinces , ▁as ▁in ▁Ontario ▁from ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁where ▁women ▁ow ning ▁property ▁( free hold ers ▁and ▁household ers ) ▁could ▁vote ▁for ▁school ▁trust ees . ▁By ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁other ▁provinces ▁had ▁adopted ▁similar ▁prov isions , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁Man it oba ▁took ▁the ▁lead ▁in ▁extending ▁women ' s ▁suff rage . ▁Sim ult ane ously ▁suff rag ists ▁gave ▁strong ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁Pro hib ition ▁movement , ▁especially ▁in ▁Ontario ▁and ▁the ▁Western ▁provinces . ▁ ▁The ▁W art ime ▁E lections ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁gave ▁the ▁vote ▁to ▁British ▁women ▁who ▁were ▁war ▁wid ows ▁or ▁had ▁sons , ▁hus b ands , ▁f athers , ▁or ▁brothers ▁serving ▁over se as . ▁Union ist ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Sir ▁Robert ▁B orden ▁p led ged ▁himself ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁campaign ▁to ▁equal ▁suff rage ▁for ▁women . ▁After ▁his ▁lands lide ▁victory , ▁he ▁introduced ▁a ▁bill ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁for ▁extending ▁the ▁franch ise ▁to ▁women . ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁women ▁considered ▁citizens ▁( not ▁Ab original ▁women , ▁or ▁most ▁women ▁of ▁colour ) ▁became ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁vote ▁who ▁were ▁" age ▁ 2 1 ▁or ▁older , ▁not ▁al