--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We pride ourselves on our democratic…" description: "\"We pride ourselves on our democratic traditions, but in Canada, women couldn't vote until 1918, Asians until 1948, and First Nations people living on r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/david-suzuki-1744_asians_we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-tra_2765287.png" --- # We pride ourselves on our democratic traditions, but in… ![“We pride ourselves on our democratic traditions, but in Canada, women couldn't vote until 1918, Asians until 1948, and First Nations people living on reserves until 1960.” quote by David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/david-suzuki-1744_asians_we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-tra_2765287.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/david-suzuki-1744_asians_we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-tra_2765287.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/david-suzuki-1744_asians_we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-tra_2765287.png) > “We pride ourselves on our democratic traditions, but in Canada, women couldn't vote until 1918, Asians until 1948, and First Nations people living on reserves until 1960.” [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Canada’s delayed suffrage reflects broader democratic shortcomings. **In simple terms:** Canada gave voting rights late. Key Takeaway Recognize and address systemic inequities. Themes history democracy justice Mood reflective critical Type historical educational When to use this quote - policy reform - education - activism Key Concepts civil rights colonialism Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can we learn from delayed suffrage? - How can we accelerate inclusive democracy? A Different Perspective Progress can be uneven across groups. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canada/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Reserves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reserves/) [Traditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditions/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [In Canada, women's rights are a vital part of our effort to build a society of real equality - not just for some, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-martin/in-canada-women-s-rights-are-a-vital-part-of-our-effort-to-build-a/) [Paul Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-martin/) > [ “It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as \[inherently\] exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/it-is-extremely-dangerous-to-encourage-people-to-see-themselves-as-2/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/there-are-big-countries-and-small-countries-rich-and-poor-those-with/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We can't attribute a long history of democratic traditions to Japan, either, but today Japan boasts a fully-fledged democracy in which governments change according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/we-can-t-attribute-a-long-history-of-democratic-traditions-to-japan/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Curtailment of free speech is rationalized on grounds that a more compelling American tradition forbids criticism of the government when the nation is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/curtailment-of-free-speech-is-rationalized-on-grounds-that-a-more/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I wasn't political in 1984, but I did have a friend in Winnemucca who was a 'Southern Democrat.' He was raised in Georgia, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharron-angle/i-wasn-t-political-in-1984-but-i-did-have-a-friend-in-winnemucca-who/) [Sharron Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharron-angle/) > [Up until 1920, women couldn't vote. Until 1974, married women couldn't get their own credit cards or, in some cases, their own loans. Basically,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-traister/up-until-1920-women-couldn-t-vote-until-1974-married-women-couldn-t/) [Rebecca Traister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-traister/) > [So I'm Labour, although I couldn't vote for Corbyn - he'd have taken too much money off me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-ryder/so-i-m-labour-although-i-couldn-t-vote-for-corbyn-he-d-have-taken-too/) [Shaun Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-ryder/) > [Usually we look at it like, "Oh, black people couldn't vote in Mississippi because they had to take a literacy test." But one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-nelson-jr/usually-we-look-at-it-like-oh-black-people-couldn-t-vote-in/) [Stanley Nelson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-nelson-jr/) > [I saw a nice interview with Dave Binney recently. He was saying, "Man it was never easy. It's not like 'Oh wow, the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/i-saw-a-nice-interview-with-dave-binney-recently-he-was-saying-man-it/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [I absolutely want to go back to the America where women couldn't vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-robinson/i-absolutely-want-to-go-back-to-the-america-where-women-couldn-t-vote/) [Mark Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-robinson/) > [I read in 'Life' magazine that Asians had developed an operation to enlarge eyes, and I yearned to have this done. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/i-read-in-life-magazine-that-asians-had-developed-an-operation-to/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [I'm proud of my roots. There are not many Asians in the music industry so it's important for me to tell people where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-lee/i-m-proud-of-my-roots-there-are-not-many-asians-in-the-music-industry/) [Coco Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-lee/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [You can have Asians being leading men that are sex symbols. You can have leading women powering through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/you-can-have-asians-being-leading-men-that-are-sex-symbols-you-can/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) ## More by David Suzuki > [Because countries often have differing political and economic systems, agreements are needed to protect those invested in trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/because-countries-often-have-differing-political-and-economic-systems/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Over and over, we hear politicians say they can't spend our tax dollars on environmental protection when the economy is so fragile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/over-and-over-we-hear-politicians-say-they-can-t-spend-our-tax/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Aboriginal people are key because they have a different sense of where we belong and how we interact with nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/aboriginal-people-are-key-because-they-have-a-different-sense-of/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [We are upsetting the atmosphere upon which all life depends. In the late 80s when I began to take climate change seriously, we referred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/we-are-upsetting-the-atmosphere-upon-which-all-life-depends-in-the/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Treaties, agreements and organizations to help settle disputes may be necessary, but they often favor the interests of business over citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/treaties-agreements-and-organizations-to-help-settle-disputes-may-be/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Each of us now has 2.27 kg (5 lbs) of plastic embedded in our bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/each-of-us-now-has-2-27-kg-5-lbs-of-plastic-embedded-in-our-bodies/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Nature surrounds us, from parks and backyards to streets and alleyways. Next time you go out for a walk, tread gently and remember that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/nature-surrounds-us-from-parks-and-backyards-to-streets-and-alleyways/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [The human brain had a vast memory storage. It made us curious and very creative. Those were the characteristics that gave us an advantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/the-human-brain-had-a-vast-memory-storage-it-made-us-curious-and-very/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/if-we-pollute-the-air-water-and-soil-that-keep-us-alive-and-well-and/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [The one thing I feel is very hopeful, however, is the overwhelming participation of women in the movement for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/the-one-thing-i-feel-is-very-hopeful-however-is-the-overwhelming/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [“As we distance ourselves further from the natural world, we are increasingly surrounded by and dependent on our own inventions. We become enslaved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/as-we-distance-ourselves-further-from-the-natural-world-we-are/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Every breath is a sacrament, an affirmation of our connection with all other living things, a renewal of our link with our ancestors and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/every-breath-is-a-sacrament-an-affirmation-of-our-connection-with-all/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [With an estimated population of nine billion people by 2050, we cannot continue to consume resources at the same rate and maintain our quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/with-an-estimated-population-of-nine-billion-people-by-2050-we-cannot/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Although it's the second largest country in the world, our useful area has been reduced. Our immigration policy is disgusting: We plunder southern countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/although-it-s-the-second-largest-country-in-the-world-our-useful-area/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Environmentalism has failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/environmentalism-has-failed/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) [Explore all 212 David Suzuki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) ## More Asians quotes > [You can have Asians being leading men that are sex symbols. You can have leading women powering through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/you-can-have-asians-being-leading-men-that-are-sex-symbols-you-can/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [I'm proud of my roots. There are not many Asians in the music industry so it's important for me to tell people where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-lee/i-m-proud-of-my-roots-there-are-not-many-asians-in-the-music-industry/) [Coco Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-lee/) > [I didn't think it was possible for Asians to be actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-didn-t-think-it-was-possible-for-asians-to-be-actors/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I feel like there's this need that the Asian-American community has to feel like people. It's something that Asians in Asia do not understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-feel-like-there-s-this-need-that-the-asian-american-community-has/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [More Asians need to be on television as a positive role model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-tom/more-asians-need-to-be-on-television-as-a-positive-role-model/) [Kiana Tom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-tom/) > [I think when people talk about race relations in America, they talk about African-American and white people. Asians are not often brought into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-chieng/i-think-when-people-talk-about-race-relations-in-america-they-talk/) [Ronny Chieng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-chieng/) > [Asian players train so hard. Most of the time, on Monday mornings, the only people you see on the range are Asians. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yani-tseng/asian-players-train-so-hard-most-of-the-time-on-monday-mornings-the/) [Yani Tseng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yani-tseng/) > [My heritage is something that I have always been aware of, however, some would say that there is a disproportionately low number of Asians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-adrian/my-heritage-is-something-that-i-have-always-been-aware-of-however/) Nathan Adrian > [“Some of us are happy with our African hair, thank you very much. I don't want some poor Indian girl's hair. And I wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/some-of-us-are-happy-with-our-african-hair-thank-you-very-much-i-don/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [If I'm privileged to be elected, I'd be blessed to represent a diverse district, including South Asians and Indian Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raja-krishnamoorthi/if-i-m-privileged-to-be-elected-i-d-be-blessed-to-represent-a-diverse/) [Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raja-krishnamoorthi/) > [When I was growing up, Asians weren't known for dancing. I knew all my older aunts and uncles did, like, ballroom dancing and stuff.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/when-i-was-growing-up-asians-weren-t-known-for-dancing-i-knew-all-my/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Our political establishment refuses to use the word 'segregated.' They call the schools diverse, which means half black, half Hispanic, and maybe two white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/our-political-establishment-refuses-to-use-the-word-segregated-they/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [“SVU, CSI, CSI: NY. These shows, they're all about things being done to females and children. If they were full of thing being done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/svu-csi-csi-ny-these-shows-they-re-all-about-things-being-done-to/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [Few politicians and analysts understand the very real fault lines among Asian sub-groups: Some Asians have done very well for themselves. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-wagner/few-politicians-and-analysts-understand-the-very-real-fault-lines/) [Alex Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-wagner/) Browse all 102 Asians quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We pride ourselves on our democratic traditions, but in Canada, women couldn't vote until 1918, Asians until 1948, and First Nations people living on reserves until 1960.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Suzuki" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-traditions-but-in-canada-women/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asians" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-traditions-but-in-canada-women/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/david-suzuki-1744_asians_we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-tra_2765287.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/david-suzuki-1744_asians_we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-tra_2765287.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/david-suzuki-1744_asians_we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-tra_2765287.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We pride ourselves on our democratic traditions, but in Canada, women couldn't vote until 1918, Asians until…” — David Suzuki", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Suzuki", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We pride ourselves on our democratic...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-traditions-but-in-canada-women/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/we-pride-ourselves-on-our-democratic-traditions-but-in-canada-women/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```