Winnipeg woman wants to belong to St. Andrew's Society, despite fight to keep women out
CBC News | Posted: October 6, 2015 11:35 PM | Last Updated: October 7, 2015
Members of St. Andrew's Society of Winnipeg in fight over recent decision to admit women
A woman wanting to join a private Winnipeg club says she was caught off guard to hear some members are fighting a decision to allow women in the group, but she still wants to join.
The board for the St. Andrew's Society (SAS) of Winnipeg — the oldest continuously active Scottish society in Western Canada — approved four applications from women in early September. Up until then, the 145-year-old society of about 300 members had only allowed men, especially those of Scottish descent, to be members.
But a small group of its members who are against the inclusion of women have been putting up a fight.
- Manitoba club goes to court after dispute over allowing women to join
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Society president James Christie said on Monday the rift has been in part allowed to persist based on differing interpretations of an old bylaw.
I think there are going to be some quality Scottish women in the group. - Susan Bolton
"[It] suggests that past presidents of the organization have a right of veto — not only over decisions made by the board of managers in the period between AGMs, but have the ultimate right of approval or refusal of decisions made even by the full membership of the society," said Christie, adding the group has taken the issue to court in hopes of settling things once and for all.
While she remains surprised by the dispute, Susan Bolton said she isn't deterred and still wants to join the society.
Bolton was wants to be part of the group after being involved in an unrelated, international Scottish embroidery project.
"I thought this was really fun and I enjoyed it, so I thought I'd like to belong to the society," Bolton said.
I'm not interested in smoking cigars or drinking whiskies. - Susan Bolton
"My dad, uncle and husband have been attending and I wanted to belong and to promote Scottish heritage in Manitoba."
Bolton recently moved back to Winnipeg with her husband after spending the last 20 years living on the U.S. west coast. The club's dispute strikes her as being out of step with reality in 2015.
"I've spent the last 20 years in California, so you can imagine how I thought that it wasn't forward-thinking," Bolton said, adding she doesn't think letting women in will hurt the group in any way.
"I'm not interested in smoking cigars or drinking whiskies, and I understand those events, too, but I really think [allowing in women] will grow the society."
Bolton said she doesn't really have a full grasp of the details of the ongoing argument since she's not a member, but said she hears the dissidents "are respected members of the group."
"There are some issues that need to be ironed out," Bolton said. "They have to resolve the issue. It's not changing my mind at all. I think there are going to be some quality Scottish women in the group."
Four women have already been approved as members, with another four expected to be inducted next week.
The court case is just getting underway, but Bolton said she expects to hear from the board in the coming days as to whether her application has been approved.