Canada to put a new woman on currency by 2018

No, Queen Elizabeth doesn’t count.

To mark International Women’s Day, the Bank of Canada and the federal government announced that it will put a brand new woman on its currency by the year 2018. Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau said that Canadian women have been “unrepresented” on Canadian banknotes.

“In 2018, we will bring real change to a new generation of women who will carry with them constant reminders that they are not only Canada’s future, but a celebrated part of our history,” Morneau said in a press release.

The queen has been the face of the $20 banknote. The Queen Mary and Princess Mary have also been featured on the central bank’s first series.

Moving forward, the bank is requesting that Canadians nominate which women a council should include on a list that will be handed over to Morneau (no, your mother likely won’t be selected). The Finance Minister will make the final selection. It’s unknown what banknote a woman would be featured on, but the Bank of Canada did confirm that a woman would be added to the new series of banknotes.

The bank is asking Canadians to nominate which women an advisory council should include on a list that will be given to Morneau, who will make the final selection.

Here are the nomination requirements:

• She must be Canadian — by birth or citizenship — “who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, achievement or distinction in any field, benefiting the people of Canada, or in the service of Canada,” a press release from the bank says.
• She cannot be a fictional character.
• She must have died before Apr. 15, 1991.

As you may have known, the United States is undergoing to the same thing. There has been a push to replace Andrew Jackson or Alexander Hamilton from their respective currencies in favor of a woman. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew confirmed that he’s been listening to public input since last summer.