Officially as of November 19, 2018, the Bank of Canada issued a new vertical $10 banknote. It might take a while to see them due to circulation, but they look like this:
The new bill, alongside being the first vertical banknote in Canada, is equipped with enhanced features that make it harder to counterfeit. There is a colour-shifting eagle feather that changes from gold to green. The Library of Parliament’s vaulted dome ceiling, maple leaves, and Canada’s flag and coat of arms are detailed metallic images in and around the large transparent window. As well, the whole note is a single piece of smooth polymer with transparent areas. One major improvement of the note is that its distinct purple colour and high-contrast numerals act as accessibility features for Canadians who are partially sighted.
The new $10 bill features social justice icon Viola Desmond, honoured as the first Canadian woman to appear on a banknote.
Viola Desmond, in 1946, took a stand for equality and justice in Canada at a segregated Nova Scotia movie theatre. The movie she went to see was The Dark Mirror, a psychological thriller starring Olivia de Havilland. Ms. Desmond was at a segregated theatre, the Roseland, and the floor seats were for whites only, while black patrons were confined to the balcony. Ms. Desmond needed a better view as she was short-sighted, so she tried to buy a floor seat, but was of course refused. She then bought a balcony seat but ended up sitting in the floor area. The theatre staff called the police and she spent 12 hours in jail. The balcony seats cost one cent cheaper than the floor seats. Nevertheless, Viola Desmond was charged and convicted of tax evasion. She did not have a lawyer and was fined $26.
The back of the banknote contains many symbols that represent Viola’s legacy. The eagle feather represents the ongoing journey towards recognizing and acknowledging human rights for Indigenous peoples in Canada. As well, there is an excerpt from the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and lastly, a pattern of laurel leaves which is an ancient form of justice.
Why vertical? Well, the Bank says they wanted to make room for a larger picture of Viola Desmond. They also said that since vending machines accept bills vertically and many people place money in their wallets vertically as well, the graphic design firm decided to make the bills vertical. However, not many are happy with this. A commenter on a HuffPost post said, “…It looks like a piece out of a colouring book or a magazine.”
The Bank of Canada’s new approach to issuing bank notes is that instead of changing all five notes in one go, one note will be changed every couple of years. This will allow the Bank to integrate the latest security features quicker.
Viola Desmond may have died in 1965 without any acknowledgment of racial discrimination in her trial, however, in 2010 she was granted pardon. She is now free and walks among us as an example of our past and our future.
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