## Women for the Ages – IMF Finance & Development Magazine | March 2019 ## Source details **Canonical URL:** [Women for the Ages – IMF Finance & Development Magazine | March 2019](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/fandd/issues/2019/03/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig) ## Other formats - [Markdown version](/en/publications/fandd/issues/2019/03/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig/index.md) - [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/fandd/issues/2019/03/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig/index.json) - [Bundle manifest](/en/publications/fandd/issues/2019/03/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig/bundle-manifest.json) ## Bibliographic details - Authors: GLENN GOTTSELIG - Published: March 1, 2019 --- ### Overview - Title: Canada’s New $10 Bill Delivers a History Lesson - Author: GLENN GOTTSELIG - Publication: F&D Magazine, March 2018 - Short description: Profiles Viola Desmond and the Bank of Canada process that led to her likeness appearing on Canada’s new vertical $10 banknote, and summarizes the note’s enhanced security features and the consultative selection process. ### Viola Desmond’s case and historical significance - Incident year: 1946. - Summary of events: - Desmond purchased a ticket for the balcony (seating generally reserved for nonwhite customers). - Being nearsighted, she sat in the floor section to be closer to the screen. - A ticket taker noted her ticket was for upstairs; she returned to the ticket counter to purchase a floor seat and was denied the purchase because of her race. - She sat on the main floor anyway; the police were called; she was forcibly removed, injuring her hip. - She spent 12 hours in jail and paid the $20 fine. - Legal and social context: - No laws in Nova Scotia at the time explicitly enforced segregation in hotels, theaters, or restaurants; no provincial court had ruled on the legality of discriminatory policies in these spaces. - The tax on the balcony price of 20 cents was 2 cents; the tax on the floor price of 40 cents was 3 cents. - Desmond was convicted of depriving the government of a penny in tax. - Legacy: - Desmond became an inspiration for the pursuit of racial equality across Canada. - More than 70 years later she is honored as the first Canadian woman to appear on a regularly circulating banknote. ### Bank of Canada selection and design process for the new $10 note - Review year: 2014 (Bank of Canada reviewed the processes used to select and design visual content of polymer banknotes). - Commitment: The Bank of Canada committed to consult more openly and broadly within Canada on new banknote series theme, subject matter, and images. - Nomination and selection statistics: - Over 25,000 nominations were received. - Resulting list: 461 qualified nominees. - Independent advisory council reduced the roll to 12. - Public opinion survey: Just under 90 percent of respondents had no objections to any of the 12 women. - History experts produced a short list of five names; focus groups convened for feedback. - Decision authority and process: - The advisory and consultative steps led to recommendations to the bank governor. - The governor consulted with the minister of finance. - Per the Bank of Canada Act, the minister made the final decision. - Quoted rationale: - Stephen Poloz, Bank of Canada Governor: “Finance Minister Bill Morneau agreed with me that it was long past time to feature an iconic Canadian woman on the front of a regularly circulating banknote,” … “So the bank asked Canadians to tell us who that woman should be. And that invitation unleashed a flood of nominations—over 25,000 of them.” - Poloz on banknote purpose: “Banknotes are not only a secure means of payment that Canadians can use with confidence. They also tell the stories that have shaped our country,” … “Now, each time this new vertical $10 bill changes hands, it will remind us of our continued pursuit of human rights and social justice in Canada.” - Jennifer O’Connell, parliamentary secretary to the minister of finance: “In 1946, Viola Desmond took a courageous stand against injustice that helped inspire a movement for equality and social justice in Canada,” … “More than 70 years later, we honor her as the first Canadian woman to appear on a [regularly circulating] banknote and hope her story inspires the next generation of Canadians to follow in her footsteps.” ### Features of the new vertical $10 banknote - First vertical banknote for Canada. - Enhanced security features highlighted: - a color-shifting eagle feather that changes from gold to green; - raised ink on various parts of the bill; - detailed metallic images—the Library of Parliament’s vaulted dome ceiling, maple leaves, and Canada’s flag and coat of arms—in and around the large transparent window. *Source: Women for the Ages – IMF Finance & Development Magazine | March 2019* --- ## Content in this bundle - **امرأة لكل العصور** - [امرأة لكل العصور (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/ar/currencies.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"} - [امرأة لكل العصور (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/ar/currencies.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"} - **Canadas New Ten Dollar Bill History Lesson Gottselig** - [Canadas New Ten Dollar Bill History Lesson Gottselig (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"} - [Canadas New Ten Dollar Bill History Lesson Gottselig (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"} - **Una mujer para la posteridad ● Finanzas y Desarrollo ● Marzo de 2019** - [Una mujer para la posteridad ● Finanzas y Desarrollo ● Marzo de 2019 (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/es/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"} - [Una mujer para la posteridad ● Finanzas y Desarrollo ● Marzo de 2019 (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/es/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"} - **Histoires d’argent : Une femme exceptionnelle** - [Histoires d’argent : Une femme exceptionnelle (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/fr/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"} - [Histoires d’argent : Une femme exceptionnelle (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/fr/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"} - **Денежные знаки. Женщина на все времена – Финансы и развитие – март 2019 года** - [Денежные знаки. Женщина на все времена – Финансы и развитие – март 2019 года (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/ru/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"} - [Денежные знаки. Женщина на все времена – Финансы и развитие – март 2019 года (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/ru/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"} - **值得被铭记的女性 - 货  币 - 金融与发展** - [值得被铭记的女性 - 货  币 - 金融与发展 (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/zh/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"} - [值得被铭记的女性 - 货  币 - 金融与发展 (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2019/march/zh/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"} --- _Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/fandd/issues/2019/03/canadas-new-ten-dollar-bill-history-lesson-gottselig_